A decision to close an eastern Iowa printing plant will cost about 280 people their jobs. R.R. Donnelley & Sons, a Chicago-based printing company, will close its plant in Eldridge July 31st because of excess capacity.
Employees, who will receive severance pay, learned of the decision in letters sent to them this week by the company. Eldridge Mayor Marty O’Boyle says the closing will be a huge blow to Eldridge. He says in some families both the husband and wife work at Donnelly.
He says city leaders hope to meet with Donnelly officials to see if the city can do anything to change the decision. The Eldridge plant prints textbooks and other educational materials, along with government documents. Donnelly lost 21 million dollars in 2009 but reported net earnings of 217 million in 2010.
The company also will close plants in Greeley, Colorado; Menasha, Wisconsin; and South Bend, Indiana.
By Phil Roberts, Davenport