Owens Corning to close Wabash facility
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Ohio-based Owens Corning is planning to shut down operations at its Wabash manufacturing facility. The company said in a notice to the state that the closure will affect 87 workers.
Owens Corning is a manufacturer of insulation, roofing and composite products. The facility, located at 3711 Mill Street in Wabash, produces the company’s ThermaFiber mineral wool insulation; the company acquired ThermaFiber in 2013.
Spokesperson Lauren Blair says the decision to close the facility supports the company’s strategy to operate a more flexible and cost-efficient manufacturing network.
“To be clear, the difficult decision to cease production at Wabash is in no way a reflection of the efforts and quality of our workforce, which have been outstanding,” Blair said in an email to IIB. “This decision was reached after a comprehensive review of investments that would have been required at the Wabash facility, which is approximately 90 years old, to continue to support the business needs.”
Production will be moved to Owens Corning’s manufacturing plant in Joplin, Missouri, which opened in 2017.
The majority of the affected workers are production operators and forklift operators. Owens Corning said the employees are not represented by a union and do not have bumping rights.
The closure and subsequent layoffs are expected to take place on Oct. 31. Blair said the company is providing multiple support benefits to the affected workers through the transition.
Owens Corning also has another manufacturing facility in the Franklin County town of Brookville, which employs about 120 people.