Greenfield Global company officials have decided to close their ethanol plant in Winnebago.
Mayor Jean Anderson says city officials with notified on Wednesday that the facility located at 711 6th Ave. S.E. will be shuttered.
“It is an unfortunate loss for the city on many fronts and even though we have offered our assistance many times, they still opted to close,” says Anderson.
At last month’s Economic Development Authority board meeting, city economic development specialist David Schmidt said he was optimistic the plant might remain open following meetings with company officials.
Anderson says she does not know the exact date Greenfield will cease operations because, “they have several things they need to wrap up.”
According to one employee, he was told his last day would be March 17.
In January, the Canadian-based company announced a financial advisor had been hired to help sell the facility. But, plans to accept bids or hold an auction were canceled.
In late 2020, Greenfield purchased the ethanol plant that was owned an operated by Corn Plus for more than two decades before closing it in September 2019.
Greenfield resumed operations in late 2021 after making repairs and improvements. The plant was producing 48 million gallons of fuel annually and employed more than 50 people.