'Wind down' of Stinger Welding begins

MCA Financial, Group, Inc., the Arizona court-appointed receiver for Stinger Welding, Inc., on Monday issued a statement spelling an end for the bridge and span manufacturer.

According to the release from John W. Boyd, the senior managing partner for MCA Financial, “based on ... analysis, the decision has been made to begin an orderly wind down of Stinger’s operations in Montana.”

The brief, one-paragraph release stated the receiver, Lincoln County Port Authority and Kootenai River Development officials “are cooperating in an effort to attract a new user for the Stinger facility in Libby. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.”

Last week, the receiver dramatically cut the role of Stinger Vice President Steve Patrick, effectively ending his day-to-day operation of the facility. However, Patrick is being retained in a consulting role.

Stinger Welding was the brainchild of CEO Carl Douglas who breathed life into the business as he tried to make a go of the business in Northwest Montana. However, Douglas was killed in a plane crash on Dec. 18 when his aircraft slammed into Swede Mountain just after midnight.