Emerson Electric To Close Rogers Plant

Emerson Electric will close its 36-year-old Rogers plant by the end of January, eliminating about 260 jobs.

Walt Sharp, a spokesman for St. Louis-based Emerson Electric, said the softball-sized commercial refrigeration units made at the plant hadn’t been a good product line for the company.

“This is simply a product line that has not contributed to the overall product mix of the company,” he said.

Sharp said the small motors power condenser fans in refrigerators used primarily in supermarkets.

Sharp said the Rogers plant is the only Emerson Electric plant that the company is planning to close. Emerson Electric has more than 300 plants worldwide.

Workers at the Rogers plant were notified of the closing on Nov. 8. The employees will be offered a severance package based on their position and length of time with the company.

If employees are willing to relocate, Sharp said, Emerson Electric will give them preference in hiring for vacancies at the company’s other plants.

Sharp said the 200,000-SF plant in Rogers would most likely be put up for sale.

Emerson also has plants in four other Arkansas cities: Mena, Harrison, Batesville and Paragould. None of the other Arkansas factories makes refrigeration motors.