About 300 workers will lose their jobs as a result of the closure in DeWitt, a community in Southeast Nebraska that has a population of less than 600.
Vise-Grip is an iconic name in Nebraska, one of the most famous products invented or developed in the state, along with Kool-Aid, raisin bran and the Reuben sandwich. The tool has been manufactured in DeWitt for more than 80 years.
Plant employee Gary Oden said employees were told that “to keep the Vise-Grip name competitive, they had to move to China,” according to the Associated Press.
“It’s a kick in the head,” he told reporters.
A spokesman for Irwin Industrial Tools told the Associated Press the decision was a tough one that didn't reflect on the quality of the work performed by DeWitt employees. Operations need to move to China, he said, to help lower the cost of Vise-Grips and help the company better compete in the global marketplace.
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