St. Charles manufacturing plant to close next month, eliminating more than 160 jobs

More than 160 jobs will be eliminated next month with the closing of a St. Charles manufacturing plant.

According to the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification report from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Ametek Bison Gear & Engineering, Inc. will begin laying off 167 workers on July 21.

Bison, founded in 1960, is a global motor and power transmission supplier based in Ohio with a manufacturing plant located at 3850 Ohio Ave. in St. Charles.

The St. Charles plant designs and manufactures custom motion control solutions for automation, power, food and beverage, and transportation industries.

On May 19, electronics manufacturer Amtek Inc. announced its plans to close the plant, two years after the conglomerate purchased Bison Gear & Engineering Corporation in St. Charles.

The WARN report provides notices of plant closures and mass layoffs for businesses with at least 75 full-time employees. Employers are required to provide notice of closures and layoffs at least 60 days in advance.

According to the report, the layoffs will be permanent.

Ametek Bison representatives did not responded to requests for comment.