MARTINSVILLE, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV) — After 120 years in business, a Martinsville, Ill. foundry will soon shut its doors.
No official date has been given for Rowe Foundry’s closure; however, foundry president Ellen Norton said it would “be ceasing operations during the first quarter of 2020.”
“Over the last few years, we have steadily lost work to overseas competition,” Norton said in a written statement. “The work we were able to keep tended to be less profitable.”
Norton said the company spent several months attempting to find a buyer for the foundry that would keep the business in operation, but were not successful.
“We have notified customers and suppliers of our plan,” Norton said. “After getting firm orders from our customers, a date will be set for the shutdown.”
The foundry employees roughly 70 to 80 people.
