R.R. Donnelley to Lay Off 207 Workers, Close Plant in Mendota, IL

MENDOTA, IL—March 29, 2012—According to a story in the Chicago Tribune and AP reports, R.R. Donnelley plans to close its printing plant in Mendota, IL, and lay off its 207 employees by the end of May. Donnelley acquired the plant in 1992 as part of its purchase of magazine printer Combined Communication Services, the Trib noted.

“The pending closure will be devastating for the city, Mayor David Boelk said Thursday. Boelk said the company's announcement caught him off guard, adding that he learned about the closing when an employee called him in tears. R.R. Donnelley is one of the largest employers in the city of 7,340 residents,” the paper reported.

In its account, the NewsTribune said corporate vehicles arrived at the plant early in the morning and employees were informed of the closing at around 9 a.m. “A former employee, speaking on condition of anonymity, told the NewsTribune that friends who were informed they were being let go have “a very strong feeling it (the closure) will be earlier than May 28.”

The paper noted that the plant also has been producing special-edition publications, such as the “Whitney Houston — Queen of Pop” collector’s edition of Celebrity magazine that it printed shortly after Houston’s death last month.