Flavoring company to close Butler County facility, eliminating 86 jobs

New York-based International Flavors & Fragrances will shut down a West Chester Twp. facility operated by the firm Frutarom, resulting in the loss of 86 jobs.

"IFF has finalized its integration plans related to the acquisition of Frutarom … and the Company has determined that it is necessary to close down certain operations located in Cincinnati, OH," according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Act Notice received Nov. 1 by the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services' Office of Workforce Development.

The company will close the Frutarom facility at 10139 Commerce Park Drive in West Chester Twp. on or after Dec. 31, impacting 86 employees, IFF said.

MORE: Butler County is among Ohio’s best at creating jobs. How has that happened?

“The affected employees jobs will be terminated Dec. 31, 2019, Feb. 28, 2020, March 31, 2020 or May 31, 2020, unless relocation is applicable,” IFF said in the letter

The plant closing is permanent, according to the company, which has more than 110 manufacturing facilities and 100 research-and-development centers  worldwide.

In 2011, Israel-based flavors company Frutarom acquired Flavor Systems International of West Chester Twp., on Commerce Park Drive, for approximately $35 million.

MORE: These big projects along I-75 are showing region’s economic strength

Frutarom USA Inc. announced in 2015 it planned to consolidate operations and production to create a U.S. headquarters at its existing West Chester facilities.

In 2018, IFF acquired Frutarom, one of the 10 largest flavoring companies in the world, for approximately $7.1 billion.

A company spokesperson could not be reached for comment Monday.

About the Author