JASPER — A long-standing employer in Dubois County is set to close its doors permanently this spring, leaving hundreds of local workers facing an uncertain future.
Jasper Rubber Products, Inc. will officially cease all operations on April 30, 2026. The announcement comes from parent company First Brands Group, which informed staff that the entire facility will be shut down.
In a blow to the local workforce, the company confirmed that because the entire operation is being liquidated, employees will not have the opportunity to transfer to other positions within the First Brands Group network.
The closure follows a period of reported instability at the plant. Several employees noted that they were placed on furlough without warning approximately one month ago. Those workers recently received formal letters stating that their positions would be terminated permanently at the end of April.
The decision to close Jasper Rubber appears to be part of a larger contraction by First Brands Group. The parent company, which manages a portfolio of automotive parts brands, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection last year.
The Jasper closure is not an isolated incident for the firm. First Brands Group also recently shuttered the Champion Labs facility in Albion, Illinois, a move that similarly displaced hundreds of workers in that region.
Founded in 1950, Jasper Rubber has been a staple of the community for over seven decades, specializing in molded rubber, plastic, and thermoplastic products for the automotive and appliance industries.
Local economic development officials and workforce recovery teams are expected to coordinate efforts to assist the affected employees with job placement and unemployment resources as the April 30 deadline approaches.
