First printed Fresno Business Journal
Silgan Containers will close its can making operation in Kingsburg as Del Monte winds down its fruit processing plant there. City manager Don Pauley confirms the tandem closures resulting in the loss of 53 jobs at Silgan by the end of October.
”Silgan leases space at the Del Monte plant site” says Pauley, “They “were the on-site supplier of the cans for the fruit plant” he adds.
Both Del Monte and Silgan are planning to consolidate their Kingsburg operations elsewhere – Del Monte to Modesto and Silgan to Riverbank although they are temporality laying off their Riverbank crew until January.
“Unfortunately Kingsburg is losing some pretty good paying jobs at Silgan averaging about $50k” adds Pauley.
Silgan started operations in 1899 packaging Carnation Milk at the time. The Nasdaq-traded company today has sales in excess of $2.2 billion.The Woodland Hills California-based firm makes metal containers, metal, composite and plastic vacuum closures and plastic containers. Its products contain some of the world’s best known branded consumer products, including Campbell’s Soup, Del Monte Fruits and Vegetables, Listerine and Friskies Pet Food.
Closure of the Del Monte cannery in Kingsburg is slated for the end of this packing season. The plant employed 1100 seasonal workers and about 70 full time.Some workers have been transferred to other local Del Monte plants.
Optimism
Pauley says Del Monte already has strong indication that their warehouse property will be sold quickly and now there is new optimism that the the old 1920s vintage cannery could get a new user as well says Pauly, reversing earlier pessimism.
“We have to wait until Del Monte clears out to show the space” adds Pauly,but interest in both properties is good.
Pauley says the city also got some good news with building plans filed for a new O’Reilly’s Auto Parts store and a new hardware store coming to town as well.