CARYVILLE, Tenn. — A frozen food manufacturer will soon close its Caryville plant, and hundreds of people in the community could lose their jobs. George's Prepared Food had a plant near the Tennessee College of Applied Technology.
"We just got the notice of the actual letter, that's required for the Tennessee Department of Labor today, identifying 218 workers are affected," said Campbell County Mayor E.L. Morton. "Every effort that we're making now is on behalf of those 218 workers."
He and Caryville Mayor Robert Stooksbury said the plant employed people for decades and were worried that its closing would be an economic loss for the whole area. They said they hope investors buy the plant so people in the area would not lose their jobs.
"The biggest thing is the employees," said Stooksbury. "Over 200 people losing their jobs is never a good thing at all."
Both mayors said they learned days ago that it would be closing in a few months. They said the estimated date the plant would close its doors is September 2.
"We heard no rumblings at all of any issues at all," said Stooksbury. "It just came out of the blue."
Morton said his office is helping workers search for new jobs. He said they have already also made calls to investors in an effort to keep the plant open. Some of those companies are located as far away as Miami.
WBIR reached out to George's Prepared Food on Tuesday morning and did not hear back that day.