The closing will bring to almost 1,500 employees who will be out of work with the closing next year of Hershey Chocolate and Rideau Regional Centre, the town’s two largest employers with a total of 1,300 workers.   

Stanley Tools released a statement announcing it’s discontinuing its consumer steel storage box product line. The result will be shutdown of the Smiths Falls plant. The small percentage of steel storage box production at Smiths Falls will be moved to the company’s plant in Georgetown, Ohio.

Steve Stafstrom, vice-president of operations for Stanley Works, cited as reasons for the closing a declining U.S. dollar, global steel inflation and a declining market. Discontinuation of the product line, he said, is a strategic decision and “is no relfection whatsoever on the calibre of our employees or of this community.”

David Lawrence, president of the Smiths Falls and District Chamber of Commerce, said the plant closing is part of a continuing trend affecting manufacturing sectors in much of North America. He said it further reinforces the need for the chamber to work closely with the town in creating new job opportunities in Smiths Falls. 
 
Smiths Falls council this week met to discuss an economic development strategy in the face of the impending closings. Councilors agreed on the need to work closely with the business sector, including the Chamber of Commerce, in attracting new industry, business and investment to the town.

Town officials have received a significant number of inquiries from prospective buyers of the Hershey plant. The town has recently received a consultants report on future uses of the 57-year-old Rideau Regional facility or the property where it’s located.