LAURINBURG, N.C. (AP) — A plant that makes Purell hand sanitizer is closing in Scotland County, leaving about 70 people out of work.
The Fayetteville Observer reports (http://bit.ly/qAJNOh ) that production at QualPak LLC ended Friday. A spokesman for QualPak's parent company says a complete shutdown is expected by year's end.
GoJo Industries spokesman Joe Drenik says the equipment is being moved to other facilities.
QualPak officials initially announced it would shut down operations in July 2009. But the increased demand for sanitizer during the H1N1 swine flu scare postponed those plans. Drenik says demand dropped after the pandemic ended.
QualPak started producing Purell hand-hygiene products in 2004.
The plant's closure marks the second recent setback for a county already struggling with high unemployment. Mohawk Industries is shutting down this month, eliminating nearly 200 jobs.