The National Starch and Chemical Co. will close its processing facility in Island Falls, laying off 37 workers in the process.
The company, which processes food-grade starch for processed foods and industrial products at its Aroostook County plant, will cease production at the facility in June, according to the Bangor Daily News. Because of its location, the Island Falls facility has higher logistical costs than National Starch’s larger facilities in North America, a company spokesman said in a statement cited by the paper. “In an economic period when demand is reduced, we have to take difficult steps to streamline our supply chain where possible,” the statement said.
National Starch and Chemical Co. is a multinational corporation based in Bridgewater, N.J. It is owned by the European company, AkzoNobel Corp.