Under the WARN Act, employers must provide a 60-day notification in advance of a plant closing or mass layoffs. This allows workers and their families to transition time to adjust to the loss of employment and seek new jobs.
iMFLUX was announced in 2017, according to the company. P&G developed a process called influx, which is an injection molding technology that uses low, constant pressure to fill a mold. This process is controlled by software and pressure sensors in the mold and the nozzle, the company reported.
Hamilton’s Director of Economic Development Jody Gunderson said iMFLUX’s decision to close is disappointing.
“iMFLUX has been an integral part of the Hamilton community, and the city has been aware of and supportive of the company’s evolving business model over the years,” he said. “We are disappointed to hear of their decision to cease operations at the Hamilton facility, but we understand the various complexities that led to this decision.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
P&G spokesman Scott Popham said the closure comes from P&G’s transition to a model that would make iMFLUX technology available in several ways, including third-party sales, field installation, and service capability; a royalty-free license to original equipment manufacturer (OEM) innovators; and a small team within P&G who will support technical transfer across the industry.
“We believe this will help unlock the technology and enable the industry transformation we had hoped for,” told the Journal-News.
The company announced the closure on April 3 in a letter to customers and partners, according to Plastics News, which reports on the business of the global plastics industry. Popham told the Journal-News that despite the decision to scale down and streamline the iMFLUX operations, P&G would continue to make the iMFLUX controller technology available to the injection molding industry.
He also said P&G is working with all 122 employees with assistance and support during the transition, as well as the company’s external partners and vendors.
“Our goal is to place as many employees within P&G as possible,” Popham said. “Packages have also been offered for employees who are not able to find a suitable role within P&G and will include a severance lump sum and benefits, a job retraining allowance, and job search support.”
External resources have been on site over the past few weeks for transition support where needed, he said.
P&G had formed iMFLUX Inc. in 2013, but had not talked publicly about it until 2017 in order to secure patent protection for the injection molding process. When they launched, iMFLUX had more than 25 U.S. and 35 international patents and had expected more at that time.
Gunderson said as a startup subsidiary for P&G, “iMFLUX has been on the cutting edge of their industry, and the company has served as a source of pride for our community. We appreciate the contributions that iMFLUX has made to Hamilton and the surrounding areas.”
He said the city and OhioMeansJobs would be available to help those who need to find other employment opportunities.
“Businesses adjust and shift to meet the demand in order to stay relevant and profitable. When those decisions close a location that eliminates jobs, that is particularly troubling for those impacted,” said Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dan Bates.
Though it won’t be an immediate fix, Bates said the property won’t sit unused long after iMFLUX closes as the location “is prime real estate.”
iMFLUX leases its space at 3550 Symmes Road, and Popham said they had notified the landlord that we would not extend the existing lease, which is through November.
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