Fennimore could be losing a major employer. In a press release, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters said that Energizer has announced intentions to close its battery plants in Fennimore and Portage. The press release says Energizer told the Teamsters it plans to close the plants in the next 12-24 months, and that it plans to send some of the jobs over seas and send others to a nonunion facility in North Carolina.
Nearly 600 Wisconsin workers at the two plants are members of Teamsters Local 695. The local plant produces batteries for Energizer’s retail brands, including Eveready and Rayovac, and specialty batteries for hearing aids.