252 People To Lose Jobs In Unexpected Wisconsin Plant Closing

When a production plant closes, it's always sad news because of the impact it has on the workers who have dedicated themselves to working there.

It hits especially hard when it happens in a smaller community, which is unfortunately what is happening in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.

Sitting along Beaver Dam Lake and the Beaver Dam River, Beaver Dam is a city in Dodge County, Wisconsin, that had a population of 16,708 at the 2020 census. Its website boasts that the city features quality employers, a diverse workforce, a great entrepreneurship atmosphere, and a growing retail marketplace.

Beaver Dam Receives Disappointing News

One noted employer in Beaver Dam is Conagra Brands, which has a production facility, located at 1201 Green Valley Road, that produces its Birds Eye frozen brand. Earlier this week Conagra Brands sent notice that it had made the "difficult decision" to close the Beaver Dam plant permanently.

The company said that the closure was necessary to allow it to improve efficiencies and effectiveness within its supply chain network.

When Will Production Facility Close And How Many Employees Will Their Lose Jobs?

Conagra Brands anticipates production at the Beaver Dam facility will cease on or around June 10, 2024. The warehouse will close on or around January 3, 2025.

As a result of the closing, a total of 252 employees, all of whom are non-union, will lose their jobs. The company says the following job classifications will be impacted:

• Production and Production Support 227
• Management and Administrative 25

An Emotional Community Reacts

In their report on the closing announcement, Spectrum News 1 spoke to residents and Birds Eye employees who were all saddened by the news. They noted that a current employee, who asked not to be named, was nearly moved to tears when telling their news team that he would miss the sense of community at the facility.

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They also reached out to Conagra about the reasons behind the closure. They responded by saying the closure was strictly a business decision as they feel the best path forward is to make its products in fewer facilities.

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The company represented added that the decision is "not a reflection of the overall performance of our Beaver Dam team", and they will make every effort to treat impacted employees fairly throughout the and severance benefits will be offered.