After 120 years of being a fixture in the community, Bloomsburg Mills is going out of business.
The company got its start in Columbia County back in 1889. Tuesday the textile company announced it's closing.
The CEO of Bloomsburg Mills said the company just couldn't compete with cheap foreign imports any longer. He added the slowdown in the economy was the final blow that forced the 120-year-old company to go out of business.
Since 1889 Bloomsburg Mills has produced fabrics and textiles. It has provided jobs to generations of people in that part of Columbia County. Now all that is about to be over.
When asked what he will do, employee Larry Yorks said, "Pray. Not a whole lot you can do. There aren't a whole lot of jobs out there." For 24 years he has been on the job, day after day at Bloomsburg Mills. His grandfather did the same before him. That family tradition will end in 60 days.
"I don't know, 56 years old, I'll find out the hard way, I guess," said Bob Schweitzer. "I started here right after high school."
There are a whole lot of long-time workers now wondering where they will turn next. Schweitzer worked there 37 years. "There's been rumors for years but it's been in business for 120 years. You thought it would get over this hump but I guess enough's enough," Schweitzer added.
Company photos show the early days back in the 1890s when the Bloomsburg Mills started as a silk weaver.
Photos also show the equipment at use inside now making materials for curtains, band-aids and other fabrics.
Company officials said sales have dropped 60 percent in the last decade. They claim cheap imports and now the slow economy have been too much to handle.
"The 90s were insane here, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Then after 2000 it kept slowing down. I didn't know how they kept running. Now I know why," said Schweitzer said.
"It's just the economy. Everything's going overseas now. There's not much you can do about it,"Yorks added.
"I know we've been having lack of work and stuff. other than that I didn't think they'd close, " said worker Carrie Burkland.
The doors will close for good May 31.
"It's going to hurt a lot of families. A lot of people are going to lose their homes and everything," said worker Sherry Hos. "My husband lost his job in February and now I'm losing mine. there's no jobs out there. My husband's been looking and I don't know what's going to happen. There's no jobs out there for anybody."
The president and CEO of the company said in a statement, "It is truly sad this day had to come to cause such a hardship for such good employees and such a good community," but he added Bloomsburg Mills had no other choice.
The company got its start in Columbia County back in 1889. Tuesday the textile company announced it's closing.
The CEO of Bloomsburg Mills said the company just couldn't compete with cheap foreign imports any longer. He added the slowdown in the economy was the final blow that forced the 120-year-old company to go out of business.
Since 1889 Bloomsburg Mills has produced fabrics and textiles. It has provided jobs to generations of people in that part of Columbia County. Now all that is about to be over.
When asked what he will do, employee Larry Yorks said, "Pray. Not a whole lot you can do. There aren't a whole lot of jobs out there." For 24 years he has been on the job, day after day at Bloomsburg Mills. His grandfather did the same before him. That family tradition will end in 60 days.
"I don't know, 56 years old, I'll find out the hard way, I guess," said Bob Schweitzer. "I started here right after high school."
There are a whole lot of long-time workers now wondering where they will turn next. Schweitzer worked there 37 years. "There's been rumors for years but it's been in business for 120 years. You thought it would get over this hump but I guess enough's enough," Schweitzer added.
Company photos show the early days back in the 1890s when the Bloomsburg Mills started as a silk weaver.
Photos also show the equipment at use inside now making materials for curtains, band-aids and other fabrics.
Company officials said sales have dropped 60 percent in the last decade. They claim cheap imports and now the slow economy have been too much to handle.
"The 90s were insane here, seven days a week, 24 hours a day. Then after 2000 it kept slowing down. I didn't know how they kept running. Now I know why," said Schweitzer said.
"It's just the economy. Everything's going overseas now. There's not much you can do about it,"Yorks added.
"I know we've been having lack of work and stuff. other than that I didn't think they'd close, " said worker Carrie Burkland.
The doors will close for good May 31.
"It's going to hurt a lot of families. A lot of people are going to lose their homes and everything," said worker Sherry Hos. "My husband lost his job in February and now I'm losing mine. there's no jobs out there. My husband's been looking and I don't know what's going to happen. There's no jobs out there for anybody."
The president and CEO of the company said in a statement, "It is truly sad this day had to come to cause such a hardship for such good employees and such a good community," but he added Bloomsburg Mills had no other choice.
