Coleman plant in Sauk Rapids closing, eliminating 175 jobs

The Coleman Co. will close its plant in Sauk Rapids, resulting in 175 people losing their jobs.

Coleman, owned by Newell Brands, notified the state that the plant at 1100 Stearns Drive would close by the end of the year.

In the filing, Coleman said it is ceasing production at Sauk Rapids and that layoffs will be permanent. Layoffs will be on or around Dec. 31. None of the employees being laid off are union members and no bumping rights exist.

The notice to the state Department of Employment and Economic Development was required under the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

Coleman acquired the plant in 2008 when it bought Stearns Inc., a maker of life jackets for industrial, government and recreational markets. According to Stearns website, Coleman has invested millions in the Sauk Rapids facility since the acquisition.

Atlanta-based Newell decided to close the plant as it exits the Stearns industrial and government line of flotation products it was making there, the company said in a statement. The Stearns recreational line will continue.

"These decisions are not made lightly and we are grateful to the Sauk Rapids team for their hard work and commitment to our brands, and we're committed to doing all we can to support them through this transition," the statement said.

The company had no further comment on the closures.

In the notice to the state, the company said employees will get 60 days of wages and benefits in lieu of notice or 60 days' notice of termination.

Newell Brands is a publicly traded company. In 2020, it lost $770 million on revenue of $9.4 billion. Newell has about 31,000 employees companywide and owns dozens of brand names including Rubbermaid, Sunbeam and Yankee Candle.

In the second quarter of 2020, Newell Brands announced a restructuring plan to "reduce overhead costs, streamline certain underperforming operations and improve future profitability."