Chicago's Wheatland Tube plant to close in November, affecting 237 employees
CHICAGO (CBS) -- More than 230 workers at a plant on Chicago's Southwest Side are expected soon to lose their jobs.
The Wheatland Tube steel pipe plant, at 4435 S. Western Blvd. in Brighton Park, will close on Nov. 1.
Wheatland Tube parent company Zekelman Industries blamed increased competition from Mexico for the closure—and complained that trade agreements on imported steel are not being enforced.
Zekelman said the volume of imported steel conduit from Mexico is jumped 650% compared with before the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement of 2018.
"All we ask is for our trade agreements to be enforced," Barry Zekelman, executive chairman and chief executive officer of Zekelman Industries, said in a news release. "Instead, there will be Americans out of work at a company that pays life sustaining wages and benefits. How does this help promote the American dream?"
Zekelman said 237 employees will be affected. To the extent that it is possible, those employees will have the option of transferring to other Zekelman facilities, the company said.
For those who do not wish to transfer, or for whom there are no positions, there will be offers of severance and outplacement services, the company said.