Officials with the City of Plymouth and Marshall County Economic Development Corporation are working to find companies to fill the empty facilities left when Bay Valley Foods closed their doors at the end of the year and when Del Monte Foods officially closes tomorrow (Thursday, Feb. 1).
In a press release in September, Del Monte Foods officials said operations were to cease in November but warehouse and distribution activities would continue until Feb. 1. Tomato processing operations will be shifted to a plant in Hanford, California. The closure affected 107 full-time employees.
Bay Valley Foods, Inc. ended operations at the end of 2017. The Plymouth facility employed approximately 150 people.
Those two prime industry locations in Plymouth are being marketed all over the state. Plymouth Mayor Mark Senter and Marshall County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director and CEO Jerry Chavez commented late last year that they have attended state marketing meetings putting Marshall County industry on the map. An effort is being made to fill the buildings to keep jobs in Marshall County and keep up the economic outlook in Northwest Indiana.
The loss of the companies is being felt by the employees affected as well as Plymouth residents. Due to the loss of utility revenue from the two factories, the Plymouth City Council voted in an ordinance to phase-in an increase in water and sewer rates to help keep the utilities within operating costs.
