Salem glass plant closes, laying off 37 workers
An architectural glass plant that’s operated for almost three decades in southeast Salem is closing this summer and laying off 37 workers.
Vitro Architectural Glass, located at 4004 Fairview Industrial Dr. S.E., will end production June 28 due to lower demand for its products, according to Bill Haley, vice president of U.S. operations.
The plant opened in 1997 and is about 133,000 square feet. It’s a glass-coating facility, applying energy-efficient coatings to window glass used in building construction.
“The decision was made by Vitro’s operations leadership team based on current and projected market conditions resulting in lower demand for flat glass products. Some of the factors contributing to a decline in demand include building occupancy, inflationary pressure and the impact of high interest rates on commercial construction,” Haley said in a statement.
Employees were informed of the closure April 29, he said. Some are being considered for open jobs at other Vitro facilities, and Vitro is working with other local companies and the state Employment Department to help others find jobs.
Vitro owns the property, which is about 15.5 acres and adjacent to a wetland. It does not have plans for the building currently, company spokesman Robert Struble said.
The facility produced more than 50 million square feet of glass per year, according to the company website. That included a majority of glass used in construction of the Singapore Changi Jewel Airport, which requires more than 500,000 square feet of coated glass.
Some work at the plant will continue for several months after production ends, with warehousing and shipping activities ongoing.
The Salem plant is one of seven in the U.S. and Mexico operated by Vitro Flat Glass LLC. The company was founded in 1909 and is based in Nuevo Leon, Mexico, with U.S. operations based in the Pittsburgh area.
No other plants are closing.
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers education, economic development and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade and is a past president of Oregon's Society of Professional Journalists chapter. Outside of work, you can often find her gardening or with her nose buried in a book.
