KENOSHA NEWS STAFF

PLEASANT PRAIRIE — Hexion Specialty Chemicals has notified state officials that it will close its plant at 8601 95th St., affecting 107 employees.

About 70 workers will be laid off, and production will cease by the end of January, said Dan Key, vice president of global manufacturing for inks and adhesive resins.

Another 15 or so will be laid off by the end of September, when the site will be closed. Approximately 25 employees will have been transferred to other Hexion facilities.

Plans are to sell the building.

Key said the plant is being closed because the company is discontinuing North American production involving petroleum-based ink. He said Hexion is the third largest company in that business and has had difficulty being competitive. He also said that ink is used for newspapers, which are having steep subscription declines.

n In other economic news, officials at Laminated Products, 5718 52nd St., notified the state of an unknown number of layoffs as of Dec. 30.

However, company president Kevin Jacob on Tuesday said the notice was sent in case employees had to be laid off. There were no plans to do so at this point, he said.

The company produces wood kitchen cabinets and countertops.

Jacob said 14 employees were laid off in October. He said the poor economy, decline in the housing market and the seasonal slowdown in the housing industry, which is Laminated’s major purchaser, contributed to the layoffs.

“Everybody knows what is going on with housing, and our business is down substantially,” he said.