These are some rough times in Wisconsin.
After losing so many factories already this year…
Unfortunately, we can add to more recent losses to the list:
In Madison, Midwest Perishable Industries shut down its cold-storage and food-distribution support facility earlier this year, affecting about 50 employees. The story is sad and unfortunately all too familiar – the company needed additional capital to fund the business, and its primary lender refused. When an attempted sale fell through, they had to shut down entirely.
And in Oconomowoc, Silgan Containers Manufacturing ended operations at its packaging plant that produced metal food containers for regional brands. According to the state layoff notice, the closure impacted 56 workers – more good jobs that are gone, probably forever.
The closures reflect a broader trend of older, higher-cost plants being phased out or consolidated as operating costs climb. Rising fuel, energy and raw-material prices, tight labor markets and supply chain disruptions have made it harder for mid-sized operations in Wisconsin to remain viable. Many companies are streamlining production into fewer facilities to improve efficiency.
More broadly, the trade war has put a real damper on the US economy, as softening export demand has forced companies to ratchet back production (with impacts felt throughout the supply chain, including by packagers and container companies like Silgan).
Unfortunately, this environment can breed a pattern of ongoing contraction. When customers spend less, employers often react by shrinking their operations and laying off employees, as is happening here. Those layoffs spark more consumer worry, and families respond by cutting their own purchases. That reduction in spending tightens the economy further, prompting another round of corporate cutbacks. Over time, the cycle widens, and more hardworking Americans find themselves without the steady work they depend on.
As for Wisconsin, it’s unfortunately just the latest in a string of painful losses as international decisions have local impacts. Please join us in supporting these workers – leave advice, an encouraging word, or any job opportunities you see incoming as a comment on this article!
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