PETROLIA — Indspec announced today it will idle its manufacturing plant for two to three months beginning in March.

Dave Dorko, plant manager, said today the company's sales of resorcinol have nose-dived in reaction to the decline in car and truck sales.

Resorcinol is used as an industrial adhesive in the manufacture of tires, as well as other products, but it is the downturn in the automobile market that has affected Indspec the most.

The plant idling will result in the temporary layoff of the majority of the plant's 261 employees.

Dorko said some employees will remain on site to maintain and secure equipment, but that number has not yet been determined by company management.

He also said the company might use the time away from manufacturing to make some capital improvements to the plant.

Indspec is one of three major employers in the Petroleum Valley of Butler County's northeast corner. The other two, Penreco and Sonneborn — both white petroleum based companies — have not reported layoffs.