Hydraulic hose plant in Charleston closing

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- For the second time in one week, a Southeast Missouri employer has announced its closing.

The Gates Corp., based in Denver, confirmed the Gates Rubber Co. in Charleston will close, leaving 127 people without jobs. The plant, 1300 Plant Road, makes hydraulic hoses used in tractors and airplanes.

Tom Reeve, the executive VP with Gates Corp., said the Charleston plant, which opened in 1981, will ramp down production to prepare for the closing. No official time of closing has been given.

Reeve said employees will be offered a severance package.

The announcement comes just one day after Brown Shoe Co. Inc. of St. Louis said it was closing its Sikeston distribution center as part of its ongoing portfolio realignment efforts.

Like Gates, Brown Shoe Co. has a long history in Southeast Missouri. The company dates back at least 70 years and currently employees 155 people at the Sikeston center. The phased closure is expected to begin in May and conclude in October.

Pertinent address:

1300 Plant Road, Charleston, MO