Dive Brief:
- Glass manufacturer Anchor Hocking plans to shut down its Charleroi, Pennsylvania, facility, that contract manufactures Pyrex products. The closure would lead to over 300 layoffs, according to a Sept. 19 letter from Sen. Bob Casey to company CEO Mark Eichhorn chastising the move.
- The closure has sparked statewide outrage, with workers rallying outside of the plant. In his letter, Casey urged Anchor Hocking to reverse course or sell the plant.
- Production and jobs at the site, which has been operating for 132 years, are set to move 170 miles away to Lancaster, Ohio, where Anchor Hocking’s first glass plant is located, the United Steelworkers District 10 Director Bernie Hall said in an email to Manufacturing Dive. Anchor Hocking did not respond to a request for comment.
Dive Insight:
Charleroi workers represented by the United Steelworkers Local 53G union have protested the closure and held a rally in a bid to save jobs, according to a Sept. 20 video from ABC4 WTAE.
In the letter, Casey expressed his dismay and confusion about the decision.
“Your sudden announcement to close the plant will upend the lives of Pennsylvania workers who have contributed to your company's success,” the senator wrote.
Casey called out the lack of clarity around Anchor Hocking’s recent acquisition of the Charleroi plant. In June 2023, Instant Brands, which owned consumer brands like Pyrex and Corelle, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. In February 2024, after Centre Lane Partners, a private equity firm that also owns Anchor Hocking, acquired Instant Brands’ housewares division, including Pyrex, emerged from bankruptcy under the new name Corelle Brands. Anchor Hocking then took over Pyrex's Charleroi plant a month later.
“Please explain the events that led to and the process by which Anchor Hocking came to operate and ultimately decide to close the Charleroi Pyrex plant, including a specific timeline and any regulatory approvals that were necessary before assuming control of the plant,” the senator asked in his letter. “Additionally, please clarify the ownership structure of the Charleroi Pyrex plant and its workforce.”
The USW union issued a demand to bargain and “would welcome the chance to work for [a] different owner,” Casey’s letter also stated.
On Sept. 20, Casey wrote a follow-up letter calling for the Federal Trade Commission to investigate the chain of events that led to the closure. A week later, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman also drafted a letter calling for similar action.
“I urge you to scrutinize, investigate, and review the bankruptcy proceedings and apparent ownership transactions that preceded this decision to determine if any laws were broken by Anchor Hocking or its private equity partners and, if so, to hold these wrongdoers fully accountable,” Fetterman said.
