According to an article in the Pottsville, Pa., Republican-Herald, St. Jude Polymer closed its Frackville, Pa., recycling facility Jan. 14. A drop in demand for the company’s finished product, plastic strapping, was cited as the reason for the decision.
St. Jude Polymer was acquired by Illinois Tool Works (ITW) in 1995. When ITW acquired St. Jude the company was recycling about 15 million pounds of PET and HDPE.
The Republic-Herald article also noted that ITW had to move production to another plant that had similar capabilities in Florence, Ky. “If we don't have as much demand to have two facilities doing the same thing, it made sense to consolidate it into one," says Allison Donnelly, a spokeswoman for ITW.