Orbis Corporation announced the closure of its Osage City, Kan., facility, March 21, 2025. The state workforce agency has scheduled a job fair for laid-off workers, April 7, at Osage City.
OSAGE CITY, Kan. – State officials provided information to laid-off employees of Orbis Corporation Thursday about career training services, unemployment benefits, and local resources, following the company’s announcement March 21, 2025, it was closing its manufacturing plant at Osage City, Kan. A job fair for the employees and others is scheduled for Monday, April 7, at the Osage City Community Building.
Yesterday’s meeting was organized by KANSASWORKS to assist the 79 people who worked at the plastic container manufacturing plant, which had been under Orbis’ operation since 2008. The plant was a longtime Osage City fixture, previously operated by Norseman Plastics and prior to that it was a Hallmark production facility.
Orbis’ announcement of the closure said some of the factory’s presses would be relocated to other ORBIS plants in its network, and manufacturing operations at the location would discontinue. The company said that due to the size, age and configuration of the Osage City plant, modernization and reconfiguration are not viable.
“As manufacturing technology has evolved, modernizing our manufacturing fleet is critical to our growth and long-term performance,” said Norm Kukuk, Orbis Corporation president.
ORBIS’ Osage City plant molded reusable plastic trays and totes used in food, beverage and industrial applications. ORBIS operates 11 other plants across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and announced in February the opening of a new plant at Greeneville, Texas.
Kukuk said the company is working with impacted employees to provide support during the layoffs. The company statement said equipment relocation would begin immediately, and presses will begin moving April 7 and continue through September. The company said it plans to sell the facility, which includes 200,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehousing space.
KANSASWORKS, the city of Osage City, and Osage County Economic Development hosted the April 3 meeting at Osage City. The officials have scheduled a job fair for 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Monday, April 7, to help laid-off Orbis employees and others affected by the layoff to set up KANSASWORKS accounts, provide job search assistance and arrange for employers to meet with job seekers. In the afternoon, 1-3 p.m., the job fair will be open to anyone seeking to connect with employers and explore job opportunities. The Osage City Community Building is at 517 S. First St.
For more information about the job fair, contact Colleen Mendoza, Osage County Economic Development, at cmendoza@osageco.org or 785-829-5302 ext. 144.
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