Orbis Corp. is closing a plant for the second time this year.
The Oconomowoc, Wis.-based maker of plastic totes, pallets and other reusable packaging, said March 21 the company will immediately begin relocating equipment from its Osage City, Kan., plant to other company facilities.
A total of 79 people work at the 200,000-square-foot site that includes both manufacturing and warehouse space.
"As manufacturing technology has evolved, modernizing our manufacturing fleet is critical to our growth and long-term performance. We are diligently working with impacted employees to provide support during this transition," Orbis President Norm Kukuk said in a statement.
Presses used at the plant will begin moving to other company sites April 7, a phased process that is expected to continue through September.
"Due to the size, age and configuration of the Osage City, Kan. plant, modernization and reconfiguration are not viable," Orbis said in announcing the closure.
The move follows a decision announced in January to close an Orbis plant in Menasha, Wis., a move that impacted 109 workers. The company, at the time, said some workers could be offered jobs at other nearby sites.
When Orbis revealed the Wisconsin closure the company indicated work would be moved to other company sites, including a new facility opened in Greenville, Texas, in March 2024.
The Kansas facility makes reusable plastic trays and totes used in the food, beverage and industrial segments. The location was previously operated by Norseman Plastics, which Orbis acquired in 2008. The site, prior to Norseman, was occupied by a company that made greeting cards and opened in the 1960s, Orbis said.
Orbis will sell the Kansas site.