The closure of the manufacturing plant, formerly operated by Smead Manufacturing, is expected to result in the loss of approximately 207 jobs, a significant number for Hocking County and its largest city.
Over 200 Jobs to be Eliminated
Tops Products notified the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services (ODJFS) in late September of its decision to permanently close the facility on Smead Road, citing “changing market conditions.” The initial round of employment separations is slated to begin on December 1st, 2025, though the full wind-down of operations is anticipated to continue in phases through April 2027.
The facility has long been a foundational employer in the area, and the loss of over 200 manufacturing positions will create a considerable ripple effect across the local economy. One local official stated that the impact on local families and the city’s tax base would be severe.
Community Braces for Impact
The announced closure comes just months after Tops Products finalized its acquisition of Smead Manufacturing Company, which had operated the facility for years. For employees, the closure is compounded by potential concerns regarding the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, which mandates that large employers provide 60 days’ notice before a mass layoff or plant closure. Legal firms are already investigating whether employees were provided adequate notice.
The focus now shifts to local and state resources to mitigate the damage. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services’ Rapid Response team is expected to step in to provide support, including:
* Job search assistance and career counseling.
* Information on unemployment compensation.
* Access to retraining and education opportunities.
Local leaders are tasked with a crucial challenge: attracting a new major employer to fill the void left by Tops Products and sustain the community’s workforce. The severity of the plant closing underscores the vulnerability of smaller, manufacturing-dependent communities in the face of shifting national market dynamics.