Nov 15, 2024 By Paul Paterra 3 min read

A federal judge denied a request to temporarily block the relocation of the World Kitchen plant in Charleroi, finding there was no preliminary evidence that the move would violate antitrust laws.

“The Court is sympathetic to and recognizes the significant impact that the dismantling and potential shutting down of the Charleroi plant has, or will have, on the employees working at the plant,” U.S. District Judge Nicholas Ranjan wrote in his Thursday ruling. “For the employees that have worked at the plant, as well as their families, the loss of jobs can be very damaging.”

But, Ranjan noted, his role is to decide if the loss of jobs is irreparable.

“Here,” he wrote, “many employees have already voluntarily left (presumably for other more stable employment opportunities), and so it is not clear that these employees will return to the Charleroi plant even if the Court were to grant a preliminary injunction.”

Earlier this month, a federal district court granted a motion from Attorney General Michele Henry for a temporary restraining order to pause the closing of the plant.

While Ranjan didn’t outright block the relocation to the Anchor Hocking glass plant in Lancaster, Ohio, his ruling noted there were still legal issues to be decided. He ordered both sides to engage in expedited mediation, “including attempts to reach provisional agreements pertaining to job relocation, continued operation of the Charleroi plant, or hold-separate arrangements, during the pendency of this case.

Daniele Byrne, vice president of Steelworkers 53G, which represents workers at the Corelle Brands plant, was emotional when contacted Thursday.

“They shouldn’t have gotten a judge from Lancaster, Ohio,” Byrne said of Ranjan, who was born in Lancaster, Ohio. “I’m very disappointed in that judge. He didn’t even listen. They told lies after lies. I was at that court hearing, and they just lied over and over.”

At a rally in September at Davies Ford, Byrne said she would continue the fight until she had no fight left. On Thursday, she sounded defeated.

“Who are you going to fight with?” she asked. “Who can I call?”

Councilman Larry Celaschi struggled to find words to share his opinion on Thursday’s ruling.

“I really don’t have an answer,” Celaschi said. “I was trying to be confident. My heart goes out to the employees. They give it their all when they walk in there. This is the kind of reward they get. I’m at a loss for words. I know one thing – I’m going to be very, very aggressive and won’t quit until Charleroi gets what it deserves.”

Workers were told in September that plant operations would be moved to Lancaster, putting more than 300 employees out of work.

In the following weeks, numerous attempts were made to keep the plant open, including by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, who sent a letter to Mark Eichhorn, Anchor Hocking CEO, urging him to reconsider the move.

Corelle Brands LLC sent a letter to Charleroi Mayor Gregg Doerfler in October that set a permanent closing date for Feb. 28, with the first employee terminations scheduled for Dec. 9.

World manufactures kitchenware and tableware, including Corelle and Pyrex brands. The history of the plant dates back to 1893, when it was MacBeth-Evans Glass Co.

Ownership has changed hands numerous times in its long history, with the most recent owners being New York-based Centre Lane Partners, following the acquisition of the appliances division of Instant Brands. Anchor Hocking is another company under the Centre Lane umbrella.

Jennifer Garofalo contributed to this story.