Anheuser-Busch to close Canton Township warehouse, 63 workers to lose jobs

CANTON TWP. − Anheuser-Busch will close its wholesale operation southeast of Canton and lay off 63 employees in October, according to a letter notifying the state of the closure.

The company plans to close the AB ONE facility at 1611 Marietta Ave. SE on Oct. 15 and terminate employees between then and Oct. 28. Sales representatives, warehouse personnel and drivers are among the job titles that will be eliminated, according to the letter.

Teamsters Local 92 represents some of the employees at the Canton Township site. Messages left Tuesday with union representatives were not immediately returned.

Anheuser-Busch also announced that The Columbus Distributing Co. would take over its Canton distribution operations. Details of the agreement were not disclosed.

“We continuously assess our operational footprint to ensure our entire system is set up for long-term success, and the transition of these operations will ensure that Anheuser-Busch and its network of independent distributors will continue to drive the growth of our iconic portfolio of brands while providing world-class service to our retail customers across Ohio," Simon Wuestenberg, U.S. chief sales officer at Anheuser-Busch, said in a prepared statement.

According to an additional statement from the company, Anheuser-Busch is working with The Columbus Distributing Co. "to ensure a smooth transition for our operations, including fully supporting our local teams," which includes examining potential roles in the Anheuser-Busch network for the Canton employees.

Erik Jenkins, president of The Columbus Distributing Co., said he is excited to expand his company's operations in Ohio and strengthen its partnership with Anheuser-Busch.

“Columbus Distributing and my family have been partners of Anheuser-Busch for over 80 years and during that time we have been committed to serving our customers and delivering some of the world’s most iconic brands to our consumers, while always making a positive impact in the communities where we live and work," he said in a prepared statement.

Mark Shaffer, vice president of the Canton Township Board of Trustees , said Anheuser-Busch did not directly inform the township about the impending closure, which is not required but sometimes done as a courtesy. In an email, Shaffer said that he hopes the facility is put to use again in the future.

"It is never easy when a longtime employer, especially one who has been prominent and visible within the community, opts to close impacting friends, neighbors, and even family members in terms of local employment," he said. "While plans for the physical facility are unknown currently, the Canton Township Board of Trustees have been aggressive by way of establishing Community Reinvestment Areas which overlap all areas of our township, including where the Anheuser-Busch facility is located."

The state Community Reinvestment Area program offers property tax breaks to owners who make improvements that increase the property value.

Canton Mayor William V. Sherer II, who was included in the company's notification letter, said the city has no economic agreements with the company or township but called the situation "very unfortunate." He said the city's Civil Service Department , along with state agencies, will attempt to help anyone in need of employment.

Reach Kelly at 330-580-8323 or kelly.byer@cantonrep.com

This article originally appeared on The Repository: Anheuser-Busch to close Canton Township warehouse, 63 workers to lose jobs