Peninsula Masonry Inc is selling what it describes as "seven rough-terrain forklifts" in the process of liquidating the two-decade-old contracting business.

"We are closing the doors as soon as possible," says Larry Prettyman, vice president. "We have been hanging on for two or three years waiting for a turnaround" in the economy.

"We are selling two Lulls and five SkyTraks, one with only 1,000 hours on it, another with a transmission problem and all 2000-2007 models," Prettyman notes.

Prettyman reports that owner and president John R Eisenbrey Jr made the business-closing decision in late April. Eisenbrey also operates Bear Industries Inc, installing and servicing fire sprinkler systems, and is a director of Artesian Resources Corp.

Debt-free Peninsula Masonry, located in the Gravel Hill neighborhood near Harbeson, has completed current projects but finds that competitors are bidding for work at "20% to 30% below my costs", Prettyman says.

Peninsula Masonry worked with about 70 masons and had annual sales exceeding USD5 million during its peak 2005-2006 period.