Owens Illinois to close bottle tank

OWENS-ILLINOIS

CLOSING TANK

Bottle Demand - Decreasing;

Lay Off 140 Men.

Tank No. 2 at the Muncie plant of the Owens-Illinois Glass Company will be shut down Sunday morning, it was announced today by Philip W. McAbee, plant manager.

Approximately 140 men will be laid off when the tank shuts down. Decreases in the demand for beer bottles was blamed for the shut­down.

The curtailment is partially sea­sonal, it was said. High prices of bottled beer, as well as the poor quality of beer produced by the smaller breweries and put on the market while still green, have had a discouraging effect on the beer mar­ket, with a consequent decrease in the demand for bottles.

Not Peculiar to Muncie.

When production will be stepped up again is unpredictable, Mr. Mc­Abee said. His statement fololws [sic] follows:

"It is with genuine regret that, owing to the marked decrease in the demand for beer bottles, coupled with the usual seasonal decline in beverage bottle shipments, we are compelled to curtail operations to the extent of shutting down our No. 2 furnace at the conclusion of the 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. shift. July 16.