Alcan Cable Ending Operations in Oregon

Atlanta-based Alcan Cable is closing its plant in Oregon by the end of the year and laying off 78 workers.

The layoffs will be conducted in four rounds, starting Aug. 6 and ending Dec. 31. The company had already made three rounds of layoffs since April 2009, according to the News Review of Douglas County.

Alcan Cable’s plant in Roseburg, Ore., which produces power transmission cable, began operation in 1991. A spokesman for the company said a decrease in demand for the product, due largely because of the lack of new projects in the construction and utility markets, was the reason the plant is closing.

“It has been a difficult decision, but basically we had to look at the production capacity we have (at other plants) in North America and compare that to the forecast for business in the industry,” Milner said.

Alcan Cable has additional plants in Missouri, Pennsylvania, California and Canada.