(Orange City) — 305 employees will be out of jobs and improvements to electrical utilities in Orange City are a concern as the city discusses what to do about the closing of Advanced Pierre Foods. The company, that manufactures beef, chicken and pork products, announced Tuesday that they will be leaving town at the end of 2012, perhaps as early as November.
Orange City Mayor Les Douma said that although a closing of this magnitude is very disappointing, there were some indicators that caused concern over the last year.
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Orange City plans to work with Advance Pierre Foods to find a buyer for the building as soon as possible. Considering the type of equipment in the facility, Douma said another type of meat processing may be a viable candidate.
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Even though this closing primarily affects Orange City and Alton, Douma realizes that this is absolutely a regional problem.
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In addition to the loss of jobs, Mayor Douma says the loss of Advanced Pierre Foods in Orange City is a concern because of the utility improvements that have been made in the commercial park.
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That work is still being completed at this time.
