Blommer Chocolate laying off more than 200 workers in Chicago with plant closure
CHICAGO (CBS) -- More than 200 workers at the Blommer Chocolate Company manufacturing plant in the Fulton River District will be laid off when the plant is shut down beginning at the end of May.
Blommer announced on Friday it would be closing the plant at 600 W. Kinzie St. due to growing maintenance and operating costs for the building and equipment, which have led to reliability issues at the factory.
On Monday, the company notified state officials the closure would lead to 226 layoffs beginning on May 31, according to a filing under the Illinois WARN Act, which requires companies to notify the state of any planned mass layoffs.
A total of 260 Blommer employees at the plant were notified of the closing on Friday.
The Chicago plant is Blommer's original manufacturing facility, and first opened in 1939. While the plant will be closing later this year, Blommer plans to keep its corporate headquarters at the Merchandise Mart, where it is also expanding its research & development center.
Meantime, Blommer said it will spend $100 million on expansions at its remaining plants in California, Pennsylvania, and Canada.