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CROGHAN A Pennsylvania company has announced plans to shut down its Bridge Street gasket-manufacturing plant around the end of the year.
The closure of the Interface Sealing Solutions Inc. plant will affect 30 to 35 employees, according to JoAnne Firestone, the companys vice president of human resources.
Interface is building a state-of-the-art facility at its headquarters in Lancaster, Pa., and will transfer separator plate gasket manufacturing from Croghan to that plant, according to a company release.
The Croghan facility will end production this year, and manufacturing for retained customers will be shared between the new Lancaster plant and existing operations in Marshalltown, Pa., the release states.
The move will not affect a plant in Beaver Falls, operated by sister company Interface Solutions Inc., that employs about 50 people, Ms. Firestone said.
The company on Tuesday filed a required 90-day notice of closure with the state, meaning it will likely happen some time around the end of the year, she said.
However, no specific timetable has been set, and Interface officials will be looking at specifics, including the possibility of employee transfers to other facilities, over the coming weeks, Ms. Firestone said.
The company is also working with the states rapid-response group to help workers seek other employment, she said.
It will result in job loss to many of our good employees there, Ms. Firestone said.
The company will try to keep affected workers informed on their options as quickly as possible, she said.
The closure stems from a company plan to consolidate operations, Ms. Firestone said.
Were combining that business with some of our other businesses and product types, she said.
Interface Sealing Solutions in 2006 purchased the Croghan plant from the now-defunct Beaverite Corp. The structure was built in 1950, according to Lewis County property records.
Beaverite used to produce automobile gaskets and other die-cut parts in Croghan and items such as three-ring binders and inserts at a plant on Main Street in Beaver Falls. However, in late 2003, that company moved its packaging division from Beaver Falls to Croghan. The consolidation was intended to make Beaverite more profitable and retain its approximately 100 employees, but the company continued to lay off workers and there were concerns the plant would shut down in the mid-2000s until it was purchased by Interface.
Interface Solutions was formed in July 1999, when Armstrong World Industries sold it a majority share of its gasket business.
The company manufactures gasket products for automotive, heavy-duty and industrial markets, felt backings for resilient vinyl floors, thermal barriers for high temperature applications, board materials and electrical barriers for appliances, lamps, computers and power tools.