December 23, 2024
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Owens-Illinois in Streator to lay off about 161 employees after it plans to shut down one of its furnaces

Factory has filed with Illinois WARN Act to announce mass layoffs

By Derek Barichello
Owens-Illinois glass factory in Streator is shutting down one of its furnaces, resulting in layoffs at the facility.

Owens-Illinois glass factory in Streator is shutting down one of its furnaces, resulting in layoffs at the facility. (Derek Barichello)

Owens-Illinois glass factory in Streator will idle one of its two glass furnaces indefinitely beginning Jan. 1.

The company said the result of the shut down will lead to an indefinite amount of layoffs to the plant’s workforce.

The company has filed the proper notice paperwork in compliance with the Illinois WARN Act. This requires employers with 75 or more full-time employees to give workers and state and local government officials 60 days advance notice of a plant closing or mass layoff.

The WARN notice said Owens-Illinois intends to lay off about 161 employees on or around Jan. 1.

Owens-Illinois released this statement Monday: “O-I is committed to being the most innovative, sustainable and chosen supplier of brand-building packaging solutions. Our ability to lead and transform the industry requires continuous evaluation of our operational capabilities to match market trends ... "

“This shift enables O-I to focus upon improving the capabilities of the second furnace to meet the needs of our diverse customer base,” the company said in its statement. “This will result in the indefinite layoff of a portion of the plant’s workforce. There are no projections of when the impacted workers may be recalled. We are working closely with union leadership to support team members impacted by this action.”

Streator Mayor Tara Bedei said she received the WARN notice in the mail in the middle of last week. In August, she said she tried to reach out to the company because it had announced it was building its first facility purposely-built for its MAGMA technology in Bowling Green, Kentucky. She didn’t receive a response.

“It’s never a good thing when you lose jobs,” Bedei said of last week’s layoff announcement. “I still intend to ask them if there’s anything Streator can do to change this?”

O-I is headquartered in Perrysburg, Ohio, and serves as a partner of food and beverage brands across the world. The company employees about 24,000 people across 70 plants in 19 countries. O-I achieved net sales of $6.4 billion in 2021.

According to a 2019 figure, Owens-Illinois employed about 300 workers.

Owens-Illinois glass factory in Streator is expected to lay off a number of employees Jan. 1, after announcing one of its two furnaces will be shut down.

Owens-Illinois glass factory in Streator is expected to lay off a number of employees Jan. 1, after announcing one of its two furnaces will be shut down. (Derek Barichello)