West Liberty Meals will close its Mount Pleasant facility

Functions at the locale to cease by May 7, 2023

A employee walks out of the major entrance at West Liberty Meals in West Liberty. (The Gazette)

West Liberty Food items will near its Mount Pleasurable meat-processing and slicing facility in early Might of up coming 12 months, getting rid of 350 work there, the organization introduced Friday.

The West Liberty-based mostly enterprise will go and consolidate functions from this location to other services in Iowa, Illinois and Utah, the corporation claimed in a news launch Friday.

The closure will come about in two phases, with the 1st on Dec. 31. All functions will stop at the plant on May 7, 2023.

Workforce will be supplied do the job at a single of its other places as properly as provided with relocation and transportation companies, remain bonuses — in which West Liberty Meals gives personnel a reward for not leaving the firm for a set time — severance fork out, re-employment solutions and aid with submitting unemployment claims, stated Tara Lindsay, the company’s main expertise and lifestyle officer.

West Liberty Foodstuff also has plants in Bolingbrook, Unwell., and Tremonton, Utah.

Employees were being explained to about the decision in 1-on-1 and group meetings, the corporation said.

“Respect and treatment for men and women is a main value of our enterprise, and shutting down a plant is a challenging matter to do,” reported Brandon Achen, West Liberty Food items president and CEO.

“Although we are getting techniques to lessen the effect on our group customers, we will be getting rid of the work of some remarkable people by no fault of their personal. I want each individual of them to know that we benefit their contributions and deeply regret the require for this action.”

Considering that opening in 2003, the Mount Enjoyable facility has created “hundreds of tens of millions of pounds” of sliced deli meats for buyers in foodstuff company and retail, according to a information release.

The company has found a “recent shift” in the items and abilities essential to support customers, the information launch stated.

“This shift has resulted in a drastic reduction in pre-sliced deli meats, leaving this particular facility and its devices unmatched to the company’s future requirements and way,” the news launch stated.

The company has been publishing on Facebook in new months highlighting work possibilities at the 3 other destinations. As of Friday afternoon, there are 74 task prospects stated on the West Liberty Meals task site.

Remarks: (319) 339-3155 izabela.zaluska@thegazette.com