Nearly 300 Jobs Cut As IL Meat Packing Plant Abruptly Closes

MOMENCE, IL — A Momence meat packing plant for Wisconsin-based meat company Johnsonville shuttered abruptly Monday, putting nearly 300 employees out of work, the company confirmed via email Tuesday.

The company announced the closure of Momence Packing on Monday, informing employees in person, a representative confirmed to Patch. A Google business listing for the plant already lists it as permanently closed as of Tuesday.

"We made the difficult decision after evaluating how best to optimize our operations network to address current and future growth," the company said in a written statement. "This decision was based on optimizing our operations across our other newer facilities."

The closing impacts 274 employees, the representative said. The employees will receive continued pay and benefits for 60 days. Johnsonville will also work through additional terms of the separation packages over the next couple of weeks.

Built in 1962, the facility has produced meat products for Johnsonville since 1995, the company said. The company plans to demolish the facility entirely by the end of 2025.

Work from the Momence facility will transition to three other production facilities in Wisconsin and Kansas, leading to job creation in two Wisconsin locations: 100 new jobs in Sheboygan Falls, Wisconsin (20-25 new jobs) and Watertown, Wisconsin (70-75 new jobs) by Q3 of this year, the company said.

Johnsonville is known as a leading sausage producer in the United States, with a wide range of products including bratwurst, grillers, Italian sausage, smoked-cooked links and more.