WILTON – Some of the welders at Nichols Custom Welding have been rehired following a recent layoff. The lay-off was the result of a “glitch in the system” that delays government payments, company President Gil Reed said.

With a little more than $250,000 due from the government, Reed said, the company was forced to lay off 17 employees, including welders and office personnel.

The layoffs began at the end of February. As of today seven of the usual 10 to 12 welders are working and the company has accepted a contract for another 12 trailers, Reed said. The welding part of the Nichols group normally employs 27, with a total of 85 employees within the three sections of the group, he said.

The company accepted contracts last year for 290 trailers with a potential for contracts for up to 700 trailers. The 500-gallon fuel trailers were part of a $3.1 million government contract. Painted desert-camouflage tan, the first 12 trailers were sent in May 2006 to Umm Qasr, Iraq. A total of 214 were completed in 74 days, he said.

“Things are improving,” Reed said, “we don’t give up easily.”

Town Manager Peter Nielsen said he was pleased that people have started to return to work.

He also was pleased that there have been a couple successful events held at the Bass Building over the past couple weekends.

This past weekend was a plus for the Nichols Group as it sponsored its annual sportsman show. Nearly 11,000 people visited the Nichols Bass building over the three-day show.

“It was wonderful, unbelievable,” Nichols said. While the show was successful, there’s still a lot of expense to put on the show, he said. A $3,000 camper was given away with bicycles and other prizes.

The company hopes to do four or five more shows a year, including a recreational vehicle and a boat show, he said. Next year, while vendors and visitors won’t see any difference, the sportsman’s show will be administered by Northwoods Sporting Journal so that the Nichols group can concentrate on other shows, he said.