Nestle Nutrition to close Minn plant, cut 243 jobs
Nestle HealthCare Nutrition has notified the state that it will close its plant in St. Louis Park and lay off about 243 workers by the end of 2012.
Monte Hanson, spokesman for the state Department of Employment and Economic Development, said Nestle reported the layoffs would come in phases starting in June.
The plant will be closed by Dec. 31, 2012, he said.
Nestle HealthCare Nutrition, which is part of Nestle, said in a written statement that production from the St. Louis Park factory will be transferred to other factories.
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The notice filed with DEED on Friday doesn't say whether employees will be able to transfer to another facility. Nestle wasn't specific in its statement about the issue, saying the company "will do everything it can to assist displaced St. Louis Park employees in finding other jobs within Nestle."
As to its decision to close, the company said "consolidation of factory resources" will help it "take full advantage of the technologies and processes available in the Nestle Manufacturing Network" and "strengthen the company's ability to serve our customers, patients and consumers."
A company spokeswoman declined an interview request.
The St. Louis Park factory manufactures nutrition products for people with specific dietary needs.