RANTOUL — A longtime local employer is shuttering its Rantoul manufacturing plant.
Charles Industries gave notice in September that all 75 full-time employees at the company’s facility at 201 Shellhouse Drive will be laid off on Dec. 11, General Manager Dominic Imbrogno said from the company’s corporate headquarters in Schaumburg.
Charles Industries describes itself as a manufacturer and marketer of “high-technology systems for telecommunications, wireless, broadband cable, utility, government and municipality markets.”
“Most of the products that we make (in Rantoul) serve the wireless industry,” Imbrogno said. “Customers like Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T and the like. And unfortunately, their budgets have been reduced pretty significantly over the last few years. And their spend, their build has been reduced.”
“And unfortunately, the demand for our products has gone along with it. And we just are not able to sustain that any longer.”
No other Charles Industries plants are closing at this time, and Imbrogno said that the Rantoul location is being shuttered due to the kinds of products made at the site.
The plant mainly produces metal enclosures or “cabinets” for communications equipment, such as those found at the base of cell towers that house radio and power equipment, he explained.
“We have other parts of our business that are doing quite well, but they utilize other manufacturing processes and capabilities,” Imbrogno said.
When asked how long Charles Industries has operated in Rantoul, he replied, “I’ve been with the business for nearly 30 years. It’s been there the whole time, and it was there well before. I want to say it’s approaching 40 years, but it might even be a little bit longer.”
He noted that the company has been working with the chamber of commerce and has brought in several businesses for job fairs so that workers can hopefully find other employment before December.
“It is my understanding that many have already actually secured other jobs,” Imbrogno said. “They will be leaving on their own in advance of that date. But everybody is entitled to work through” Dec. 11.
He added that all employees will get severance, regardless of whether they are able to find other work before the plant’s last day.
The company has also provided human-resources support for workers as they seek new employment.
“Anytime you lose industry, there is an impact to the community, especially in the labor pool,” said Village Administrator Scott Eisenhauer. “Seventy-five employees who were dedicated to the mission of Charles Industries found out they would no longer have the opportunity to work there. That is devastating — and also why our immediate attention was to help them find work elsewhere and assist in what is a smooth transition.”
He told The News-Gazette that the village was made aware of the upcoming plant closure shortly after the facility’s employees. Village officials then met with corporate leadership to see if there was anything the village “could do to change this decision.”
There was not, so the village’s focus shifted to working with the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation to provide job fairs and other employment resources.
“Charles Industries HR has also been very engaged in working with us, the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation and other community employers to assist in finding their current employees work opportunities,” Eisenhauer said. “The state has also provided resources and willingness to assist as needed, and the Champaign County Regional Planning Commission has offered assistance as well.”
Tiffany Nagle, assistant program manager for the Regional Planning Commission’s workforce development division, told The News-Gazette that Illinois workNet has a dedicated resource page for the affected plant employees at illinoisworknet.com/LayoffRecovery/.
“Our team at CCRPC Workforce Development can also help individuals explore employment opportunities, access job-search and resume assistance, and learn about training options,” she added. “One resource worth highlighting is our Better Job Scholarship, which provides eligible participants with financial assistance toward approved training programs that can prepare them for better-paying jobs or careers in demand.”
The current application window is open through Oct. 30, with more information available at ccrpc.org/divisions/workforce_development/better_job_scholarship.php.
Imbrogno said that closing the plant was “a difficult decision.”
“These decisions are not taken lightly,” he said. “And you hate to say it’s for business reasons, but unfortunately, the business conditions have been difficult for a while. And we’ve done our best to hold out and try to find other ways we could utilize the capabilities we have there. It just hasn’t worked out.”