British firm to close Bowling Green plant putting 135 out of work

7/30/2008

BOWLING GREEN A plastics plant here that was sold last year by Perrysburg-based Owens-Illinois Inc. will be closed later this year by its new owner, putting 135 people out of work.

Rexam PLC, a London-based global manufacturer of consumer packaging, announced today that it would close the plant on Miller Drive in the fourth quarter of this year. The seven-year-old plant makes plastic packaging products, including caps for coffee creamers, toothpaste, and ketchup, said Greg Brooke, spokesman for Rexam Americas.

"This is an unfortunate step we have to take," Mr. Brooke said this morning. "We ll make this transition as easy as possible for all our people." He said the company would provide "competitive" severance packages and job training assistance. Workers are represented by UAW Local 12.

The plant s production work will be divided among Rexam s 53 other plastics plants worldwide, Mr. Brooke said. "It s no reflection on the people or the performance of that plant."

The facility was acquired by Rexam last year as part of O-I s sale of its plastics-packaging unit. Other area Rexam jobs will not be affected by the closing, including those at the firm s U.S. plastics headquarters in Perrysburg and aluminum beverage container plants in Fremont and Whitehouse, Mr. Brooke said.