By Wayne Allen
Earlier this summer Haverhill Chemicals, LLC., announced it would be closing, leaving roughly 140 employees jobless. Local and state officials have since been working with the company to keep operating.
On Friday, June 12, Tom Wells, vice president of Haverhill Chemicals, issued a news release reporting that the Haverhill Plant would begin the suspension of operations at the facility. He said that during the shut-down phase, the company would be seeking a solution that may allow the plant to resume operations.
In a letter later written to Mike Crabtree, chairman of the Scioto County Commissioners, Haverhill Chemicals Human Resources Manager Bobby Thornsbury stated that certain events relating to Haverhill Chemicals requires the company to conduct employee separations of individuals employed at its facility and to close. The letter proceeds to state that employee separations in connection with this action are expected to be permanent and that the entire facility will close.
According to officials, they were given a date of Aug. 10 as to when the plant would stop operations. Workers and officials were notified the plant would stay open an additional two weeks to allow companies to tour the plant.
As of Wednesday, the plant remains open. OhioMeansJobs of Scioto County has established a transition center at the plant to help potentially displaced workers by providing resume assistance and various other services. Jason Kester, executive director of the Southern Ohio Port Authority (SOPA), said there are a lot of people from around the region and state working to keep the plant open.
“We’re in constant communication with those guys (people working to keep the plant open), there is a lot of different stuff we’re working on. They (current owners of the plant) are providing as much information as they can to market it, as effectively as possible,” Kester said. “The plant is still operating at this time, with a lot of options available with nothing definitive to report.”
Wayne Allen can be reached at 740-353-3101, ext. 1933 or on Twitter @WayneallenPDT
