WILLIAMSPORT — Ted Cruz dropped out of the presidential race less than two weeks after campaigning in Williamsport at a company that deals with natural ga...

WILLIAMSPORT -- Ted Cruz dropped out of the presidential race less than two weeks after campaigning in Williamsport at a company that deals with natural gas. On Wednesday, that company went out of business.

During Cruz's town hall at NuWeld Incorporated, he discussed jobs and the economy. Then just one day after Cruz dropped out of the race, NuWeld went out of business.

NuWeld--a welding, engineering, and fabrication company--dealt with the gas industry which has been on the decline.

The 150 people who worked there lost their jobs. According to the owners, NuWeld was forced to close because it couldn't pay its bills.

The owners added the company, which has been around for more than 20 years, did its best to operate despite the decline in natural gas.

As for those 150 employees, they have not gotten paid for their last week and a half of work. The owner says issues with the bank, BB&T, is preventing the workers from collecting their pay. Local and state officials are working together to try and get those employees their money.

Dozens of NuWeld workers gathered Wednesday afternoon, trying to keep hope alive.

"We found out this morning and it's been pretty horrific ever since. It came as a shock,” said Jim Maiolo of Williamsport, a NuWeld general manager.

“We find out, 'Hey! The bank took all our money. We just kind of sat there in stunned and shocked silence, never thinking that that could happen. I know work's been slow, but when the bank kind of stabs you in the back like that, just makes you wake up and take notice,” said worker Jordan Ritter of Linden.

"We're going to reach out to whoever we have to at BB&T and also the governor's office and let them know that, give us another chance, we're going to keep working and whatever we can do to keep these jobs here, we're going to do it,” said Williamsport Mayor Gabe Campana.

Campana spoke to the crowd of workers along with Lycoming County Commissioner Rick Mirabito, promising help.

NuWeld started as a company that did nuclear welding more than 20 years ago.

These workers say they are skilled and could easily do work on nuclear pipelines again.

"We were slowing down with the gas industry, just had real good potential with the nuclear industry. We had some real good work coming here and everything just got taken out from under our feet,” said worker Tom Colley of Williamsport.

"As you heard from some of the workers who talked, there are jobs that they can get, but what they need is, they need the bank to be a good neighbor and step up to the plate and work with the company,” said Commissioner Rick Mirabito of Lycoming County.

In 2011, when Governor Tom Corbett visited, the company was so busy, managers say they were turning down work.

"I don't know how this all happened. It's heart-breaking. It is. I know we will come out of this. We will. We have to. We depend on this,” said Tim Palmatier of Williamsport.

Campana and Mirabito said they will be conferencing first thing Thursday with bank officials to see if they can work out a deal.

BB&T Bank officials released this statement: