The Engineered Plastic Components (EPC) facility in Kalona has announced it will soon cease operations, dealing a significant blow to the local workforce. The decision comes in the wake of a series of layoffs at the Whirlpool Corporation, which has already reduced its Iowa workforce by hundreds over the past year.
According to the Iowa Machinists Union, Whirlpool has shifted some of its production to Mexico, a move that has affected suppliers and related businesses across the state. EPC Kalona, which relied heavily on Whirlpool’s Amana plant as its primary customer, has been directly impacted by these cuts. Reports from the IAM Union indicate that 341 employees at Whirlpool’s Amana location were recently laid off.
EPC Kalona suspended its second and third shifts on March 10, though no official date has been given for the full closure. The Washington Economic Development Group notes that the plant employs approximately 153 workers.
Interestingly, the facility does not currently appear on Iowa’s Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) system. Under Iowa law, businesses with 100 or more employees must provide at least 60 days’ notice before a plant closure or mass layoff. The absence of the EPC Kalona listing raises questions about whether the notification requirements have been met.
The closure highlights the ongoing ripple effects that major corporate layoffs can have on smaller, dependent businesses and the communities that rely on them.
