Columbia Steel Castings Co., Portland, Oregon, says it will close its plant and all its facilities in Portland, with closure-related employment separations expected to begin Oct. 22 or within two weeks thereafter.
Columbia Steel manufactures a variety of steel and iron parts for basic industry, including wear parts for metal and waste shredders. The company was founded in 1901, according to its website, and ultimately acquired by Hobart M. Bird, whose descendants continue to operate Columbia.
In a letter dated Aug. 22, 2022, that Marth B. Cox, president and CEO of Columbia Steel, sent to employees, she writes: “It is with deep sadness I need to inform you of the plan to close Columbia Steel by the end of this year. I understand the impact this will have on our hard-working employees and their families. The Bird family priorities have always been first to employees, then retirees, vendors, customers and our environmental responsibilities. Unfortunately, our efforts to secure a new owner or financing for Columbia Steel have not come to fruition.”
Cox writes that the effects of offshore competition that often is government subsidized, supply chain disruptions, COVID-related restrictions on sales travel, increased state and local environmental regulations and fees on energy-intensive industries and the inability to hire and retain sufficient employees to produce castings at a sustainable level, even after substantial pay increases, have contributed to the decision to close the 121-year-old company.
She adds, “While Columbia Steel will continue to seek additional financing and to have discussions with various companies about purchasing its facilities and maintaining operations, there is no guarantee that this will happen.”
The company also sent a letter dated Aug. 22 to Rachel Soto, interim rapid response coordinator at the Oregon Dislocated Worker Unit Office of Workforce Investments at the Oregon Higher Education Coordinating Commission, about the closure and employee terminations as required by the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act of 1988.
According to the letter to Soto, the plant closure is expected to be permanent, and 225 employees will be laid off.
Recycling Today has reached out to Columbia for information on the company's ability to fulfill orders prior to the closure and will update this story once we have a response.
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