Energizer factory shutdown set for early 2021

This article by Jim Therrien originally appeared Oct. 28 in the Bennington Banner.

BENNINGTON — The planned closure of the Energizer plant in Bennington won’t be immediate, a company spokeswoman said Monday afternoon.

“The transition will occur in phases and is expected to be complete at the beginning of 2021,” Nikki Eaves, of Energizer Holdings Inc., said in an email.

MOVING OUT: he Energizer plant in Bennington, which has seen its workers shrink in half to less than 100 over the past few years, is moving operations to Portage, Wisconsin.

“There are no immediate job impacts and operations will continue through 2020,” she said, “but we wanted to share this decision now to provide adequate transition time for our colleagues that live and work in the Bennington community.”

She added, “As we’re in the early stages of the move, I don’t have other information to share at this point. Once we get closer to the planned closure, we will work with federal, state and local agencies to assist our colleagues through the transition.”

Earlier this year, Energizer acquired Rayovac, which Eaves said has a specialty battery manufacturing plant in Portage, Wisconsin.

“As part of the integration,” she said, “we reviewed our combined manufacturing footprint and determined the total demand for specialty batteries can be produced more efficiently in one facility. The Portage facility is best suited to produce the combined volume across Bennington and Portage.”

Read full article at the Bennington Banner.

(Fair use with written permission from the New England Newspapers Inc.)

Image courtesy of John Klar