Owens-Illinois lays off 25 employees - 13abc.com Toledo (OH) News, Weather and Sports

Owens-Illinois lays off 25 employees

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PERRYSBURG, Ohio -

Owens-Illinois is cutting 25 jobs in the midst of plans to expand and add jobs at their Perrysburg headquarters. The eliminated positions range from engineering to administrative jobs, but corporate leaders say they were necessary cuts.

Rumors have been circulating that the cuts are related to Obama's health care initiative, but a company spokesperson says the cuts have nothing to do with the Affordable Care Act or any other piece of legislation.

The spokesperson says it's simply a way to make operations more efficient, and, in the end, more jobs are being created.

The Perrysburg headquarters employs about 1,000 workers.

Spokeswoman Stephanie Johnston says each of the cut positions was carefully considered and necessary to keep Owens-Illinois competitive.

The company has plans to add a $35 million lab at the Perrysburg campus, adding about 100 jobs. OI leaders say the cuts won't affect those plans.

"We are constantly reviewing the needs of our organization, both from a human capital standpoint, and from an operations standpoint, to make sure we have the right people in the right places at the right time," Johnston says. "It's the kind of effort that any major company undertakes."

The groundbreaking for the new facility is scheduled for the end of the year. The expansion should create 45 salaried jobs and 55 contract jobs.

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