Mars Wrigley set to close historic US Chicago chocolate plant
Mars Wrigley has confirmed plans to close a historic US chocolate production facility in Chicago, affecting a total of 280 jobs, writes Neill Barston.
According to the company, the move regarding its 1920s West Side building, comes in the wake of moving its American headquarters to New Jersey in 2017.
The company (with its Yorkville site pictured) retains its international base at Goose Island in Chicago, and according to reports from the Chicago Tribune, employees would be invited to apply for other opportunities within its organisation in the region.
It is anticipated that the closure of the West Side building will be phased over the next two years, with the company having a total of around 34,000 staff on its books. The future of the West Side building has yet to be decided.
In a statement carried by the Chicago Tribune newspaper, the confectionery giant stressed that it intended to retain its connections with the city.
It read: “The company remains committed to the city of Chicago and intends to partner with the surrounding community on a future vision for the site. As we continuously evaluate our footprint across North America, our associates were informed of the decision to move the majority of operations to other facilities in the US over the next two years.”
Confectionery Production has approached Mars for further comment on the story.