More than 100 local workers of a beer distributor company could lose their jobs after Ohio Eagle Distributing signed a deal to sell its operations, the company told Ohio officials.
The West Chester-based wholesale distributor of Anheuser-Busch, Constellation, Yuengling, and craft beers, has a contract to sell all of its assets, set to close on Sept. 8, which would terminate the jobs, according to a letter to the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but “future employment opportunities, if any, will be communicated by the buyer,” who was not identified.
Heidelberg buying Ohio Eagle, according to company Facebook post
In a company Facebook post, Ohio Eagle said it was selling to Heidelberg Distributing Co., which supplies beer across Ohio. It also said the buyer would hire workers losing positions with the company.
“Heidelberg is committed to retaining as many of our talented team members as possible and looks forward to welcoming them into their organization,” Ohio Eagle said in its post.
Heidelberg Distributing officials could not be reached for immediate comment.
Company has workers in West Chester and Lima
The company employs 124 workers at its West Chester site and another 54 at a distribution site in Lima, according to the letter to the state filed under the WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification) Act. Ohio Eagle supplies 18 counties in western Ohio.
Officials with Ohio Eagle did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. Nor did officials from Teamsters Local 1199, which represents an unspecified number of the workers in West Chester. The company said because it will cease to exist after the deal closes, “bumping rights” won’t apply to protect senior employees.
This story was updated to add a video.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Beer distributor sells to rival, 124 local jobs in limbo
Reporting by Alexander Coolidge, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
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