Brookhaven may lose a “valuable corporate partner” next week,but company executives are not talking.

The Keystone-Seneca Cloth Wire Co. plant in Industrial Park willbe closing Monday, according to employees.

“We are closing. We are in the process of shutting down now,”said a mid-level management employee who did not want to beidentified Monday.

Steven Davis, Brookhaven plant manager, said he was forewarnedof possible media calls and was instructed not to comment. Hereferred all calls to Kevin Shumaker, director of communications,at the company’s corporate headquarters.

Shumaker has not returned repeated telephone calls made in thepast three weeks since rumors of the plant’s closing startedsurfacing.

Cliff Brumfield, executive director of the Brookhaven-LincolnCounty Chamber of Commerce, said he was aware of the situation buthad not been officially notified.

“There has been no formal announcement or contact by the companywith regard to the rumors,” he said.

However, he said he has also made numerous attempts to contactShumaker without success.

“They’ve been an excellent corporate citizen and a long-standingindustry for Lincoln County,” Brumfield said.

According to an economic study of Lincoln County released in2006, Keystone-Seneca employs approximately 120 employees and wasthe fifth-largest commercial manufacturing industry in thecounty.

Employees would not comment on any separation packages they maybe receiving.