Closer look at impacts of Itron plant closure in Waseca

WASECA, Minn. (KEYC) - “You know it was it was really a blindside announcement for our community.”

Ann Fitch, the executive director of the Waseca Area Chamber of Commerce said there was no indication this announcement was coming.

“We just talked to the plant manager six weeks ago and there was zero idea this was happening.”

Itron, an international infrastructure technology company, has made Waseca one of its homes since before the millennium. Itron president and CEO Tom Detrich said in a statement.

“This was a difficult decision. Our Waseca employees have played an integral role in bringing itron’s products and solutions to the market. We are taking these steps to strengthen our company and enhance competitiveness by establishing a single manufacturing center of excellence in North America in South Carolina,”

“It hurts. It hurts in many ways it hurts because they were a great corporate resident of this community,” said Fitch.

Fitch says that Itron has given hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past thirty years all funneling toward the community. Still Fitch believes the focus should be on the families affected by job losses.

“We just want to be able to wrap our arms around those Itron families and support them and whatever needs they have over the coming months. There’s great skilled workers out at Itron that are absolutely employable. And I know that there are there are companies around the area who are ready to snap them up.”

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