Posted on 09/09/2014 5:03:16 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Dow Chemical Co. will close its Findlay plant, which employs 70, in mid-December, the company reported Monday.
The 400,000-square-foot factory at 3441 N. Main St. manufactures plastic films used in construction, automotive, packaging, and medical uses and products.
Decisions of this kind are difficult. Dow has been proud to operate in Findlay and the company appreciates the dedication our Findlay employees have demonstrated during our 55 years as a part of this community, said Brian Brown, production and site leader for Dow Chemical in Findlay. Dow is committed to supporting our employees during this transition.
No further details about the closing or why it is happening were available from the company.
Five years ago, when the company was celebrating 50 years in Findlay, Brown called it an integral part of Dows business. Dow had invested nearly $4 million in new or upgraded equipment and facilities in the prior three years, he said.
Among the products the Findlay plant makes are adhesive films used in car interiors in seats, floors and ceilings; plastic adhesive backing for carpet and carpet pads; water-resistant films used in packaging foods and other goods; and films used by companies which retread tires.
Some of the products the plant has made have changed over the years. It once made Pinkies plastic gloves for beautician and cleaning uses; a plastic film used to make a precursor to the Ziploc bag; form containers for cottage cheese and other products; water-absorbent material for diapers; and a protective coating for metal wires and fiber optic cable.
But it always has manufactured films for various uses.
Dow had 27 employees when it opened its operations 55 years ago. Employment peaked at 494 in 1968. In the mid-1980s, employment was about 250. Ten years ago it was 110.
Economic recovery.
Hopey Hopey Change Change
It’s in Ohio, near Toledo I believe ...
It does not seem to be all that efficient to have 70 people working in a space that is 400,000 sq. ft.
That’s 5,714 sq. ft. per employee.
was it a union plant?
It’s 45 minutes south of Toledo, down I-75.
-- Barack Obama Sept. 1, 2014
I bet that 70 robots could cover more than 400,000 sq. ft. and still be optimally efficient.
Folks, y’all better realize it — you are superfluous.
Depends on how large the equipment is. In an operation like this a lot of the space could be taken up by storage tanks.
Or should that be “ohh condom me”?
Sounds like the plant was slowly dying. I don’t know much about their product or their market niche.
Does anyone know if it was unionized?
Is Dow still innovative and entrepreneurial or do they suck at the government teat?
Michelle wants to buy a house in Hawaii but Barry is interested in a codom-inium
Where the song “Down By The Old Mill Stream” was written...
Main St. was US 25 (Dixie Highway) before I-75 went through..
“It does not seem to be all that efficient to have 70 people working in a space that is 400,000 sq. ft.”
The square footage is not to store employees, it’s for production, the storage of raw materials, work in progress and finished inventories.
Some factories have significant warehouses and shipping/receiving areas, with few personnel. I would add many are very efficient.
In short, it’s a relatively small operation. That’s too bad; Findlay needs those jobs. Findlay is about an hour South of Toledo, Ohio.
“Is Dow still innovative and entrepreneurial or do they suck at the government teat?”
Every time you swipe your finger across most smart phones, you’re touching Dow’s Gator-glass. Industrial adhesives, polymers and lubricants. Lots of consumer products as well.
Dow is a solid company.
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