In the heart of Chillicothe, Ohio, a 175-year-old paper mill, long considered an unofficial symbol of the community, was forced to end production in August. Once a cornerstone of the town of 22,000, demand for the specialty paper it produced steadily declined, leading to its closure.
First announced in April, the shutdown affected roughly 750 employees, who were notified months in advance. As Pixelle Specialty Solutions, the plant’s owner, prepared to relocate operations, workers were left facing difficult choices about their futures.
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Now, six months later, new life is returning to the historic site about an hour south of Columbus. U.S. Medical Glove Company, an Illinois-based manufacturer formed during the COVID-19 pandemic, has purchased the Chillicothe facility after recently opening a plant in Cincinnati.
As a federal contractor supplying personal protective equipment (PPE) to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. military, U.S. Medical Glove Company plans to repurpose much of the mill’s existing equipment. While the company does not yet intend to manufacture boxes for its glove packaging, executives say that could change in the future.
A small team of 25 employees kept the site running during the transition. They’ll now be joined by 60 new hires under the glove manufacturer. Though the new plant will operate without a union, unlike under Pixelle’s management, U.S. Medical Glove Company has pledged to match or exceed previous wage levels and to offer improved benefits.
The company expects the plant to be fully operational within a month. Additional development opportunities on the 400-acre site are already being discussed, signaling the possibility of continued growth for the region.
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