By Mike Boyer
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Tanner Hernendes of Barlex-Auctions, Appraisals and Asset Management Co. auctions machine tool equipment at the old Cincinnati Machine plant. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

OAKLEY - Pieces of America's once dominant manufacturing muscle were being sold in $25 increments Tuesday at the former Cincinnati Machine plant.

In what the auctioneer said was the largest machine-tool auction in the country in several years, the sale of millions of dollars of equipment is under way through Friday at the million-square-foot manufacturing complex that generations of Cincinnatians' knew as "The Mill."

In its heyday in the mid-20th century, the Cincinnati Milling Machine Co. plant, which opened in 1911, built the machines that made the guns, tanks and airplanes that won World War II. Its machines then produced the autos, airplanes and appliances that fueled the post-war economy.

But as America's manufacturing edge moved overseas, the Mill's fortunes waned. Milacron Inc. sold the machine-tool business to California-based Unova Inc. in 1998.

Earlier this year, in a further consolidation, Unova moved its machine-tool business to Michigan and its aerospace and composite machinery operations to a smaller building in Hebron. It has vacated the Oakley complex and is selling an estimated $10 million in excess equipment.

Everything from massive boring mills to boxes of micrometers and drill chucks were going to the highest bidder.

Against the backdrop of the auctioneer's call - "I'vegot100dollars, who'llgiveme125?'' - there was a sense of melancholy.

It was felt by John Roberts of Wilmington, who took early retirement from Milacron in 1999 after 30 years with the company.

"This was at one time a great company. It employed thousands of people. But like a lot of other things, times changed,'' Roberts said. "It's sad to see.''

It's a feeling shared by the auctioneers.

Rick Schotts, lead auctioneer for Barlex Inc., a California company running the sale, said his company was grateful for the business, but added: "We hate to see manufacturing going away.''

By the time Tuesday's auction started in the three-story building known as "Plant 2,'' about 110 had registered for the bidding.

Schotts, who said he was satisfied with the first-day turnout, said sales would continue until about 10 p.m. Tuesday. The widely advertised auction drew dealers in used machinery from as far away as Florida and Texas, machine-shop owners and the curious.

There were bargains to be had.

Pointing to a huge Cincinnati boring mill in the middle of the plant floor that was to be auctioned later, Schotts said, "That machine would cost $2 million new and another couple hundred thousand dollars to set it up.''

Ernie Smallwood, a former Mill employee who is now working for Barlex, said some of the machines hold tighter cutting tolerances today than when they were new because of maintenance and modifications made over the years.

Smallwood, who worked for Milacron/Cincinnati Machine for 24 years, had his job terminated in December when the company scaled back operations.

"I had expected to retire in 15 more years,'' he said. "People used to say if you had a job here, you had a job for life.''

Frank Black, owner of Black Machining and Technology Inc., a small metal-cutting shop in Clermont County, inspected one of the hundreds of boxes holding metal cutting blades, some costing $2,000 new.

He wasn't sure if he would bid on anything.

"I'll know it when I see it,'' he said of his auction strategy.

His shop, which employs eight, has been hurt by the downturn in manufacturing that took its toll on the Mill.

"The economy's coming back," he said, "but I don't know if manufacturing is coming back.''

The auction continues through Friday at the Oakley plant starting at 10 a.m. daily.

E-mail mboyer@enquirer.com