Norwood closing Janesville plant
JANESVILLE--A Janesville manufacturer of promotional products will close its doors in April, eliminating about 75 jobs.
Employees of Norwood Promotional Products, 1309 Plainfield Ave., learned of the decision Wednesday to move local operations to a facility in Red Wing, Minn.
Norwood has a long history in Janesville as a consolidation of several other companies such as Jaffa, Crystal Etch and The Janesville Group. It is a leading supplier of imprinted promotional products that are now branded as Jaffa.
The company was founded in 1989 and has operations in the U.S., Canada and China. Norwood markets more than 5,000 promotional products.
BIC USA bought the company in 2009, shortly after the Indianapolis-based Norwood filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Earlier this year, Norwood announced the consolidation of some manufacturing operations and the relocation of others, primarily in Texas and Indiana.
Quenten Wentworth, vice president and general manager of Norwood & BIC Graphic North America, said an analysis showed moving the Janesville operation to Red Wing would improve customer experience and streamline operational capabilities.
For a full story, read Thursday’s Janesville Gazette, read online in the Gazette’s E-Edition or check back at GazetteXtra.com.
Dec 7, 2010 at 7:39 p.m.
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Minan you need to educate your self about the One World Government. You will then realize who really runs the World. All politicions are nothing but a bunch of puppets on a string. They are also THUGS
Dec 2, 2010 at 2:57 p.m.
Dec 2, 2010 at 2:04 p.m.
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What does the state and local officials need to do to keep jobs here in Wisconsin? If we lose anymore jobs here in Janesville, we will not be able to build a new fire station, new ice arena, etc.
Dec 2, 2010 at 10:49 a.m.
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Maybe I will go into nursing. The new hospital has to be staffed, so hopefully that will bring some jobs to Janesville.
Dec 2, 2010 at 10:43 a.m.
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I used to work here a few years ago, and feel bad that this is closing, it was a very nice place to work. Janesville needs more jobs!
Dec 2, 2010 at 10:18 a.m.
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Time to pack up and leave people no jobs in janesville.
Dec 2, 2010 at 9:23 a.m.
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Oh yeah, Gillette. Thanks for the info.
Dec 2, 2010 at 8:23 a.m.
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Actually, it was Sanford, a division of Newell Rubbermaid, that shut down the most recent incarnation of Parker Pen in Janesville...and they had purchased it from Gillette. Bic is the rival.
Another question is: how many of these jobs will actually be going overseas? Many of Sanfords jobs went to India and Mexico.
Dec 2, 2010 at 7:38 a.m.
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I used to work there in Crystal Etch back in the early 90's. Sad to hear this news.
Is this the same BIC that bought Parker Pen and shut down the Janesville operation?
Dec 2, 2010 at 6:33 a.m.
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Sad news for those working for Norwood. They filed for bankruptcy in May, 2009 and did say at that time that besides the economy that the flood in Cedar Rapids in 2008 did have a major impact with 10 feet of water at the company. If my memory is correct--> they shut down the Cedar Rapids Norwood co. that had been there for 100 years due to the flood and moved to Red Wing. I heard that after Norwood closed a company called Cedar Crest manufacturing formed which made similar products. If true, it would be nice to have our city manager contact this company about starting another company here in Janesville - anything is possible.
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