A manufacturing facility in Gibson City, about 30 miles east of Bloomington-Normal, plans to close, leaving nearly 80 employees out of work.
RhinoAg makes equipment for agriculture, landscaping and construction. The company plans to merge its operations with a plant in Selma, Alabama by March 2025.
In a statement, the company cited difficult market conditions in the ag equipment sector as the reason for the closure.
“The reduction in force we have announced at our RhinoAg facility in Gibson City, Illinois is regrettable, and was only made after careful consideration,” Rick Raborn, executive vice president of Alamo Group’s Vegetation Management Division said in a statement.
“However, we feel that these actions are necessary given the difficult market conditions in our agricultural equipment segment. Like other manufacturers in this space, we’ve experienced a significant reduction in customer demand as a result of the general softening of the agricultural markets we serve."
The layoffs are expected to start at the plant in Ford County next month and continue through next March.
The superintendent of Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley [GCMS] schools posted on social media the job cuts will likely place hardships on many families in the district.
“In our small town when big events happen, the ripple effect is real and we never truly understand how each person is impacted. Our kids of all ages feel those impacts and it can impact them, their focus, their motivation, their happiness. Be kind,” said superintendent Jeremy Darnell, adding the district will provide financial waivers for impacted families.
