ELWOOD, Ind. (AP) -- Plastech Engineered Products Inc. will close its Elwood manufacturing plant in mid-July, idling the plastic injection-molding plant's 286 workers.
A letter Plastech released Thursday said the plant would close on July 13 or within 14 days after that date.
Elwood city officials learned of the planned closure just as employees did, said Bill Savage, Elwood's director of Economic Development. He said city officials met with Plastech officials shortly after the 60-day notice was issued.
''We just learned it yesterday,'' he said Friday. ''The company here, we met with them yesterday, but the local people don't know much about it because they're in Chapter 11 bankruptcy.''
Plastech is Madison County's 18th largest employer, according to Chamber of Commerce for Anderson & Madison County statistics.
Elwood Mayor Merrill Taylor said there were rumors that another company might purchase Plastech before its closure date.
''I'm hopeful if someone buys it, they keep it open and keep the jobs we've got now. Like I say, we met with them yesterday and told them we would help anyway we can,'' he said.
