One of Plant City’s largest employers is closing it’s doors after decades.
Mosaic announced Tuesday they are shutting down the fertilizer plant there.
Generations have worked there since the plant opened in 1965.
But now 430 employees are finding out about the shutdown.
“The reactions have been as you might imagine, have hearts,” said Mosaic Public Affairs manager Jackie Barron.
Officials said the company is stopping production here at the end of the year because of financial reasons that will help the company as a whole.
“There are sad employees not only here at Plant City, but co-workers at facilities across the region who have close friends here,” said Barron.
Mosaic dealt with the a huge sinkhole at it’s Polk County plant in 2016 that dumped at least 215 million gallons of contaminated water in the aquifer.
But the company said the $70 million it’s costing to clean up didn’t affect the Plant City decision.
Mosaic also has facilities in Hillsborough, Manatee and Hardee Counties.
The Mayor of Plant City, Rick Lott tell us this move came without any warning, and he just found out Tuesday.
He said they will work with business leaders in the community to help those who will need jobs at the end of the year.
Mosaic said it hopes to minimize the impact by offering early retirement to some employees.
They said they will give severance packages to those who aren’t staying with the company.
