J.M. Smucker to Close Three Plants in 2004

---

Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated; Houston, Texas). The J.M. Smucker Company (NYSE: SJM) (Orrville, Ohio) is planning to close three of their manufacturing plants in the coming New Year.

The fruit processor and now peanut butter manufacturer is planning to reduce their involvement in fruit processing discontinuing some items permanently like fresh fruit processing and relocating other product production to other facilities.

First on the chopping block will be the company's Woodburn, Oregon (Plant 1015165) fruit processing plant that is scheduled to close during the first quarter of 2004. The plants in Wastonville, California (Plant 1501581) and West Fargo, North Dakota (Plant 1502204) are scheduled to close late 2004.

In all the closing will result in the elimination of 335 employees company wide however, Smucker is building a new plant in Scottsville, Kentucky that is expected to create some 185 new full time positions.

The remaining six operational Smucker plants are located in Oxnard (Plant 1503356) and Salinas (Plant 1502100), California, Lexington, Kentucky (Plant 1516644), Orrville, Ohio (Plant 1510649), Sainte-Marie, Quebec (Plant 2016350), and Memphis, Tennessee (Plant 1515344).

The J.M. Smucker Company was founded in 1897 when the Company's namesake and founder sold his first product, apple butter, from the back of a horse-drawn wagon. Today, the Company is the market leader in fruit spreads, ice cream toppings, health and natural foods beverages, and natural peanut butter in North America.