Bloomington GE Plant Closing Date Set

The plant manufactures 20 and 22 cubic-foot side-by-side refrigerators.

Nearly 330 employees at the GE Appliances plant in Bloomington will be out of work by the end of the month. GE Appliances has announced it will end production at the plant on August 25 and the employees’ last day of work will be on August 26.

The company says employees will receive 90 percent of their wages and all of their company benefits through June 15, 2017. After that date, comprehensive plant-closing benefits will take effect.

A small team of employees will remain for a "period of time to complete necessary equipment and maintenance work," according to the company.

GE Appliances announced the closure of the plant in June. Frank Scheffel, general manager of operations at the plant, says 94 percent of employees will be able to retire with a pension and healthcare coverage.

"No one ever wants to have to close a plant. But if it must happen, as is the case here in Bloomington, you want to make sure employees are treated fairly," said Scheffel. "I’m proud to be part of a company that takes care of its employees. We’ve been through a lot together, and we can now start the next chapter of our lives knowing we have the resources to make a successful transition to retirement or to new employment for those who wish to work."

When the closure was announced, the company said demand for refrigerators manufactured at the Bloomington plant had declined by 76 percent since 2008.