The COVID-19 outbreak has led materials firm Americhem Inc. to put temporary furloughs in place for 73 workers at plants in Ohio and Michigan.
Fifty-six of the furloughs took place at the firm's two plants in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio. The remaining 17 were at a plant in Grand Rapids, Mich. The layoffs were announced between April 1 and April 6, officials with Cuyahoga Falls-based Americhem said in letters to officials in both states.
The cuts are expected to be temporary, they added, saying that Americhem "is hopeful that employees will be recalled after the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic have been lifted."
In an April 8 email to Plastics News, a company spokesperson said that all three plants remain operational in spite of the layoffs. The spokesperson added that employees who were laid off "are still receiving benefits, and we hope to recall them to work in the near future."
Americhem officials previously said that the firm is giving priority to all COVID-19 related orders. Americhem is continuing to make a wide range of products with antimicrobial properties, including additives sold under the nShield brand name.
Americhem makes color and additive compounds and concentrates for a wide variety of industries. In addition to Ohio and Michigan, Americhem operates U.S. plants in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia and North Carolina; as well as international plants in England, India and China.