Sapulpa Glass Plant Will Close Its Doors

Less than three months after purchasing a glass manufacturing plant, Anchor Hocking Co. is planning to close the facility and put more than 400 people out of work.

The Lancaster, Ohio-based company, which specializes in producing glass table wear, will close the plant in two phases.

The first round of layoffs will take place in April and the plant will be completely shuttered by June.

"It´s certainly a hit on us," Ted Fisher said of the loss of a major employer in Sapulpa.

Fisher, Sapulpa´s economic development director, said the city will lose $400,000 a month on utilities payments from the plant.

The glass plant, which has been in Sapulpa since 1914, and an Anchor Hocking distribution center in Flint employ about 425 workers.

Working with employees The company expects to cease operations at the distribution center by September, and consolidate all of its manufacturing and distribution operations to its facilities in Ohio and Monaca, Pa.

Anchor Hocking spokesman Dace de la Foret said though the company is encouraging employees to apply for positions in Ohio and Pennsylvania, Anchor is also working with employees who want to stay in the Sapulpa area.

"The company is reaching out to local organizations to arrange job transition assistance," de la Foret said.

Betty Calley, executive director of the Sapulpa Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber is working with the city´s economic development division and the Central Vo-Tech Business Center to help the glass plant workers find new jobs.

Work force benefits community "We are going to have a mini job fair," she said. "Anchor Hocking is going to let us have it on site."

Calley said she expects the job fair to take place in March.

"It would benefit us in the community to keep as much of that work force here," Calley said.

Fisher said city officials will do whatever it takes -- from job fairs to training -- to help the laid off employees get back in the work force after the plant closes.

"We will custom make every thing for those employees -- that´s our priority," Fisher said.

Although losing more than 400 jobs hurts economically, Fisher doesn´t expect the pain to last too long.

"I believe there will an immediate absorption of those jobs," he said.