Werner Co. said Friday that 200 of its workers are on temporary layoff because of seasonal factors and a sluggish economy.

Layoffs at the Sugar Grove Township company began at the start of the year and have grown steadily since then, said Don Guyton, director of human resources for Werner.

He noted that last year at this time the company had to lay off about the same number of workers. The company doesn't know when it expects to begin recalling workers; that will depend on an upturn in the economy, Guyton said.

With 1,260 employees, including those laid off, Werner is the second-largest industrial employer in Mercer County, just slightly behind Wheatland Tube Co.

Best known for its ladders, the company also is in the aluminum extrusion business. It is part of Werner Holding Co., which is owned by Investcorp, an investment group composed of 10,000 Persian Gulf investors.