Closure of the J. R. Simplot Company's Heyburn, ID, processing plant will occur about November 1.
According to a news release on July 31, the plant's two remaining lines will be shut down at that time, resulting in the layoff of 238 hourly and 25 salaried employees.
The closure, originally scheduled for April of 2004, was moved forward due to market considerations and the company's ability to transfer production to other plants sooner than anticipated. Employees were notified of the revised date July 30-31.
The company had announced on May 3, 2002, its intention to close the plant due to industry-wide overcapacity, slowing market growth, and high operations costs of the Heyburn plant in relation to other plants.
The first phase of the closure occurred November 1, 2002, and a second production line was closed May 23, 2003.
The facility was built in 1960 and supplied french fries and other frozen production to restaurants and other foodservice customers.