Niagara Bottling plans to permanently close its water-bottling plant in Ocala, Florida, on December 31, eliminating the facility’s 57 remaining jobs. The decision follows another Niagara bottled-water plant closure in Michigan, but the Florida action involves a separate facility, workforce and timetable.
Florida’s official WARN list records an October 31 state notification, a December 31 layoff date and 57 affected manufacturing employees at 2445 NW 42nd Street. The company’s notice describes a workforce reorganization that includes closing the plant and laying off the employees assigned there.
All 57 remaining positions are affected
The December 31 separations cover the plant’s entire remaining staff. The positions include injection operators, production operators, forklift operators, maintenance technicians, warehouse leads, production managers and quality-assurance employees. The plant director is also among the affected workers.
The closure notice says none of the employees are represented by a union and no bumping rights apply. Bumping rights can allow a more senior employee whose position is eliminated to move into another job held by a less senior worker; that option is not available in this case.
Niagara gave organizational restructuring as the reason for the shutdown. The notice does not say whether production will move to another facility, and it does not identify a future use for the Ocala property.
The plant changed hands in 2025
The site was formerly operated by Silver Springs Bottled Water Co., a longtime Ocala business. Niagara announced its acquisition of Silver Springs and its brand portfolio in September 2025, and local property records put the purchase price at about $25.8 million.
The facility had already undergone a much larger workforce reduction after the acquisition. A previous WARN notice covered 85 employees, with 73 leaving on December 31, 2025, and the remaining departures following in early 2026. Niagara said in March that the plant would stay open with reduced production and a smaller workforce.
The October 31 notice changes that outlook from reduced operations to a planned permanent closure. Niagara, a family-owned beverage manufacturer founded in 1963, also operates Florida production facilities in Groveland and near Jacksonville.
What happens next
The Ocala shutdown remains scheduled for December 31, 2026. Unless the company changes the plan, the water-bottling operation will close and all 57 remaining positions will end that day. The public notice does not describe severance, transfers or other assistance that may be offered to the affected workers.
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