Hudson Valley Factory Closing; 84 Workers to Be Laid Off

The maker of some of the most popular household products in America is closing its Hudson Valley plant and laying off 84 workers.

On February 28 there will be 84 Hudson Valley factory workers looking for a new job.

Factory Closings Continue in New York's Hudson Valley

Last year we saw the closure of several Hudson Valley manufacturing plants. One of the largest was the Ball aluminum can factory in Wallkill, New York. That plant had operated for over 50 years and employed 143 local workers. In September the Ball aluminum factory completely closed and operations were outsourced to the company's other locations.

Months earlier, Avon closed its Rockland facility. After 125 years of operation, the company decided to move its research and development department overseas, which resulted in the loss of 138 employees.

Another Hudson Valley Factory is Closing in Elmsford New York

Purpose Built Brands has announced that it is shuttering its Hudson Valley plant. The company has been responsible for manufacturing popular household items such as Goo Gone, Weiman stainless steel cleaners, Wright's copper and silver cleaners and BioKleen.

In 2017 Purpose Built Brand's owner, Urnex, boasted the expansion of its Hudson Valley plant, purchasing an adjacent building that added 45,000 square feet of space to the company's manufacturing facility in Elmsford. A new research & development lab, a quality control lab, an H4 chemical storage room and a manufacturing space were all part of the extensive renovations.

At the time, the company said that the newly constructed Hudson Valley facility was an investment in its valued workers.

We have invested in the people that make this company succeed. We invested in a physical space to create better and safer working conditions for our employees. And we invested in the tools and equipment to excel in their jobs and create better products.

Seven years later, the company is now closing up shop and relocating its operations. In a filing with the state, the company lists the reason for the plant closing as "relocation of business".

There are currently 84 employees that will be affected by the closure that officially takes place on February 28. Workers were reportedly told the news just before Christmas.

We reached out to the company to find out exactly where current operations were moving and if any of its employees had been offered positions at the new facility. They did not immediately respond to our request for comment.