Four former employees of Gunite Corp. have purchased the idle factory and foundry and are relaunching operations as Rockford Brake Manufacturing. 

The facility has been closed since February when Gunite’s parent company, Accuride, announced Chapter 11 bankruptcy. 

Founded in 1854 as the Eagle Foundry, the company’s 619,000-sq.-ft. facility sits on 41 acres and includes a grey iron foundry and machine shop that specializes in manufacturing brake drums for the commercial vehicle industry. 

Rockford Brake Manufacturing received an EDGE for Startups tax credit from the state of Illinois, and has committed to making a $6.6 million investment and creating 150 new full-time jobs, including hiring many employees from the original workforce.