On Wednesday, Sheboygan County-based Johnsonville revealed its decision to shut down the Meadowside facility, situated on the company’s headquarters campus, later this year. This move comes in the wake of Johnsonville’s acquisition of Salm Partners, a Wisconsin-based manufacturer specializing in fully cooked sausages and hot dogs. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
As a result of the acquisition, Johnsonville has gained two production plants in Denmark, a village in Brown County. The company assured that all 390 workers at the Meadowside plant would retain their jobs until the end of June.
While Johnsonville anticipates workforce adjustments during the transition of ready-to-eat sausage production to Salm throughout 2024, it plans to close the Meadowside plant in Sheboygan County by the end of the year. However, the Countryside and Riverside manufacturing facilities will continue to operate.
Don Fussner, CEO of Johnsonville, expressed the company’s commitment to retaining as many affected workers as possible within Sheboygan County and across its other production facilities. Employees staying with the company through June will receive a stay-on bonus.
Fussner acknowledged the distress a plant closure brings to employees and emphasized the acquisition’s importance for the long-term success of the ready-to-eat sausage business. Despite the challenges, Johnsonville is actively working to transition and retain valued members in various roles within the company.
Following the acquisition, Salm Partners will maintain its independence as its entity. Formerly owned by Chicago-based Entrepreneurial Equity Partners, Salm Partners has served as a co-packer for Johnsonville for several years, according to the company’s statement on Wednesday.
