DalTile Closing in Olean

DalTile has announced that it will close its operations in Olean at the end of January, leaving nearly 200 people without jobs.

Senator Cathy Young says all levels of government worked to put together a lucrative package to keep the company in Olean but, in the end, the national economy was too much to overcome. She says sales are down at the facility has been running and 40 to 50 percent capacity.

She says it would have cost the company $10 million more in capital and operations to say in Olean than to stay in Gettysburg, where its sister plant is.

Back in August, company officials said a decrease in sales of mosaic tiles nationwide was forcing them to make a decision on whether keeping both the Olean and Gettysburg plants open was feasible.

She says she’s been in contact with the Department of Labor and the Rapid Response Services team will be coming to Olean to help workers with job placements, unemployment insurance and job training.

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