Former Red Wing/Carriage House Facility on East Talcott Street in Dunkirk (Photo from Google Maps)

The former Red Wing plant in Dunkirk has been sold to Refresco Beverages.

The Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency purchased the property at 26 East Talcott Street in 2015. Red Wing, later known as Carriage House and then ConAgra, closed in 2014.

IDA CEO Mark Geise said the IDA has been in negotiations with Refresco for two years, “It’s gonna improve the economic viability of the area because they’re going to be investing upwards of about $13 million in the facility and employing people in the city of Dunkirk. That’s really good news for our community.”

The board approved the sale of the 243,000 square foot facility to Refresco Beverages for $1.4 million. The sale also includes a 15-year Payment-In-Lieu-Of-Taxes (PILOT) and a sales tax exemption up to $1 million.

Geise added that the project will create 75 to 100 temporary construction jobs, and create 10 new full time jobs.

The New York State Department of Labor’s labor statistics department is reporting 8,900 manufacturing jobs in the county for the month of December – marking the lowest number on record. According to the Post-Journal, a total of 2,500 manufacturing jobs have been lost in the past eight years.

Both local and state officials say the loss in manufacturing job is mostly attributed a number of local companies that were bought out by national and international companies, and then either closed down the local operation or moved it to another state.

Some of the manufacturing plants that have either closed down or relocated in recent years include the Zurn Industries in Falconer, Crawford Furniture in Jamestown, Premier Lakewood, and Carriage House in the north county, which was the largest job loss in the county during the 8 year period.

Both State Senator Cathy Young and Congressman Tom Reed, along with other local and regional leaders, have said the growth of manufacturing jobs in the region is a top priority while they are in office.

According to a statement from Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning), Officials with ConAgara and its soon-to-be closed Carriage House operation have negotiated what both sides are calling a “fair” severance package.

Workers reached an agreement with ConAgra Wednesday night. The Carriage House facilities in Fredonia are scheduled to be closed by the end of this year.

Congressman Reed said that because ConAgra has agreed to sell its two North County plants with no restrictions, local officials will have an easier time trying to locate a buyer and restore the jobs as soon as possible.

According to an article the Post-Journal, the goal of the rally was to send ConAgra a three-pronged message:

• maintain some portion of its operations in the local area;
• provide a fair severance package to the employees that have given their lives to Carriage House and;
• allow the sale of the facilities without any strings attached.

Meanwhile, County Executive Vince Horrigan says he and his economic development team are working to make sure the Carriage House Facility in Fredonia doesn’t sit vacant for too long.

“We have two major companies looking at that area, and then we have a second approach which is an agri-business park. We’re going to put together a study for that to look at the best way to market multiple uses, while we’re also looking at these two companies. So we’re moving along and I think there is interest – there’s definitely interest – and I’m very optimistic we’re going to wind up with a company, or companies, in there,” Horrigan told WRFA on Wednesday night.

Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan.

DUNKIRK – Chautauqua County Executive Vince Horrigan says he’s been working on finding a new company to fill the void that is being left by ConAgra Foods pulling out of the North County.

Last week it was announced that ConAgara, which operates the Carriage House food processing facilities in Dunkirk and Fredonia, would be closing the operation and relocating it out-of-state. The closure would result in the layoff of more than 400 people.

On Thursday, Horrigan met with representatives of another company, which he says could be willing to relocate into the ConAgra facilities.

“What we want to do is be able to acquire the facility with no strings attached and be able to use the assets we have with the [Chautauqua County Industrial Development Agency] and others and be able to market that facility to anther manufacturing, food processing company that would enable use to create as many jobs as possible,” Horrigan said. “We do not want to see a warehouse. What we want to see is jobs and we think we are in a good position for that and there’s very strong interest in these facilities.”

Because no deal is in place and negotiations are ongoing, Horrigan says he’s unwilling to give too many specific details about the replacement business – only to say that it is an established, regional company. He and representatives from the county Planning and Economic Development Department will continue to be in discussions with the unnamed company in the coming weeks.

Martha Robertson

DUNKIRK – The Ithaca Democrat running for Congress says the U.S. Justice Department should investigate a national food processing company that is pulling out of Northern Chautauqua County for possible anti-trust violations.

Democratic 23rd Congressional District candidate Martha Robertson announced this week that in the wake of ConAgra Food’s decision to shutter plants in upstate New York, she is asking the Justice Department to review ConAgra Foods’ actions for possible violations of anti-trust laws aimed at ensuring free and fair competition.

ConAgra, a Fortune 500 company with net sales totaling approximately $18 billion, purchased Carriage House from Ralcorp in November 2012. Carriage House, formerly Red Wing, has been a Fredonia corporate food processor for generations. The closing announcement from ConAgra means that some 425 workers will be losing their jobs beginning in September and ending in February 2015.

According to Robertson, the actions by ConAgra should be reviewed by the U.S. Justice Department to ensure that laws governing the free market were not violated.

She also said that protecting and creating jobs are the single most important issues facing the people of the 23rd District, and regrettably her opponent, Congressman Tom Reed (R-Corning), is apologizing for the excuses made by ConAgra rather than fighting to ensure the company doesn’t sneak away in the middle of the night. Upon learning that ConAgra was leaving New York, Reed said it was New York State’s poor business climate that was to blame for the company pulling out.

A report this morning from Time Warner News says that workers at the Carriage House plants in Dunkirk and Fredonia have confirmed that owner ConAgra Foods will close both facilities.

Union reps tell the cable news station that more than 400 people will lose their jobs and are expected to be formally notified this morning. A union official also says that ConAgra “blindsided” union leadership with the news Tuesday night. SEIU Local 266 was told layoffs will be done by department and should be finished by February 2015. Production lines are expected to be moved to other locations, including Kentucky.

ConAgra bought the facilities as part of its nearly $5 billion purchase of Ralcorp in November 2012. It then laid off more than 100 workers at two plants early last year.

The Dunkirk plant makes various syrups, dressings and other condiments.

U.S. Senator Charles Schumer this week endorsed Fredonia businessman and former Pomfret Town Justice Ron Johnson for the office of County Executive. In his endorsement, Schumer highlighted Johnson’s years of public service, including his time in the United States Armed Forces as well as Johnson’s experience as a local business owner.

A fifth generation Chautauqua County resident, Johnson is owner and operator of Johnson Adult Homes in Fredonia, and was the lead developer of Fredonia Place. He is the endorsed Democratic and Independence Party candidate for county executive and will be facing Republican and Conservative Party Candidate Vince Horrigan in the next week’s election.

In addition to an endorsement by Schumer, Johnson was also recently endorsed by the members of Chapter 266 of the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers/Service Employees International Union Local 32 BJ.

Chapter 266 represents the Production and Maintenance Workers at Carriage House in Fredonia and Dunkirk and the Production workers at Monofrax in Falconer. In addition to Johnson, the labor group also announced its endorsement for Lori Cornel as County Clerk.

Company officials say the layoffs are due to the closure of the Talcott St., facility, with that operation being relocated to maximize capacity and capabilities at other facilities within the United States. The layoffs will affect both hourly and salaried employees. The layoffs will take place within 14 days of the closing date of April 5.