Owens-Brockway to close Streator factory, laying off more than 150 employees

Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc. announced Monday it is closing its Streator factory, leading to the loss of 152 jobs.

The closure is scheduled to take place on or after Nov. 18, according to a report provided to the state of Illinois. Companies are required to give notice to government agencies of mass layoffs, according to the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

According to that notice provided to the state, the layoffs come as the glass manufacturing company will stop commercial production operations at the plant permanently, although the facility itself will remain open for the time being.

All employees affected by the layoffs will continue to receive full pay and benefits through Dec. 20, the report said. Additional compensation may be available depending on company policy and collective bargaining agreements with labor unions.

Some employees are represented by United Steelworkers Local 140M, United Steelworkers Local 3M and United Steelworkers Local 85. Owens-Illinois has notified each union regarding the layoffs, the report said.

Union employees may have bumping rights for certain assignments during the wind-down period, while non-union employees do not have this option.

Customers of the Streator plant at 901 N. Shabbona St. will continue to receive service from other domestic facilities within the company’s network as part of the restructuring efforts, the report said.

City Manager David Plyman said the impact of the closure will go beyond the employees and their families, because the factory is a big part of Streator’s history – once known as the “Glass Container Capital of the World.”

“It’s a sad day to see the plant close,” Plyman said. “The plant is part of our town’s history and the community has always taken pride in bottle manufacturing here in Streator.”

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Streator became a hotspot for glass factories in the United States. At its peak, Streator was home to several major glass companies, contributing significantly to the local economy while providing jobs for residents.

Owens-Brockway opened in Streator as the Streator Bottle & Glass Co. in 1881. In 2022, the plant shut down one of its two furnaces and went from 320 to 160 employees.

According to James Wood, Owens-Brockway corporate affairs, the latest decision is part of the company’s “Fit to Win” initiative aimed at reducing redundant capacity and optimizing its operational network.

Additional furnace closures and other restructuring actions are anticipated later in 2024, according to Wood.

O-I is a Fortune 500 company with more than 24,000 employees at 69 different plants across 19 countries. In 2023, Streator’s factory had adapted its production to making spirits bottles, such as Jim Beam and Tito’s.