Video: B and W West Point Plant

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WEST POINT, Miss.(WCBI)–A major employer in Northeast Mississippi appears to be in danger of closing its door in 2016 and with it about 200 jobs.

The Babcock and Wilcox corporate office is recommending its West Point plant cease operations no later than the third quarter of 2016.

And that is not good news for people who depend on a salary from the plant thats been in the area since 1952.

“If that should happen which we are hopefully anticipating that it will not happen. It would be detrimental to Clay County and the Golden Triangle,” said Brenda Lathan/Link Senior VP.

West Point, of course, is an area of the triangle that has been rocked by unemployment in the past as companies laid off workers.

“But then to get such an uplift from Yokohama. Things are fixing to turn around, and now this?,” said Gary Chism/(R) MS Representative.

The Golden Triangle Development Link has been a driving force in terms of attracting and landing industry, while strengthening the local economy.

But the latest on the condition of B & W, has the Link and Golden Triangle residents holding their economic breathe.

“We’re in the process of setting up meetings with their cooperate offices to try to get to the bottom of this and find out how much of it is true and how much of it is rumor,” said Brenda Lathan/Link-Senior VP.

Lathan did not mention the date or time of the meeting with B & W Cooperate officials.