Moll Industries Inc. announced Feb. 25 it is closing its Newberg, Ore., facility as it looks to refocus its business operations.
Chief Financial Officer William Teeple said the 108,000-square-foot-plant, which employs 95, manufactured encapsulating pods for semi-conductors for Fremont, Calif.-based Asyst Technologies Inc. But when Asyst sold its division to Entegris Inc., the South St. Paul, Minn., firm opted to manufacture its own pods.
The plant operates about 30 injection presses with clamping forces of 100-1,500 tons. A ``couple'' of the employees at Newberg were offered positions with the company, said Teeple. The rest are receiving job placement assistance, according to a news release. The plant will end operations about April 30, Teeple said.
Moll was forced into bankruptcy in September when Highland Capital Management LP, its chief lender, told the U.S. Bankruptcy Court that Davie, Fla.-based Moll was past due on loans totaling $48.4 million. Moll has had to close several plants in the United States, France and the United Kingdom, and has sold units as well.
``Moll had a good opportunity going through bankruptcy to not only restructure debt but to refocus our business,'' Teeple said. ``We wanted to refocus our business on what we knew we could do well.'' Key markets will include large and small appliances, medical and some consumer goods.
The closure will leave Moll with four North American facilities and one in Brazil, he said. Teeple said Moll plans to combine its San Antonio and Austin, Texas, operations into a 104,000-square-foot plant in New Braunsfels, Texas. He said Moll will finish moving into the facility, which will employ 225, by the end of July. Moll will spend about $600,000 to relocate to the facility, which will operate 65 presses with clamping forces up to 1,400 tons.
The 95 workers in Austin and 175 in San Antonio will be offered an opportunity to work in the new plant, he said.