Richco closing its doors after 3 decades

Richco is closing after being purchased by Filtrona PLC.

Richco Inc., 1000 Northfield Ave., is leaving Harvard after about 30 years in the community. In December 2011, Richco was purchased by Filtrona PLC. As part of company reorganization, Filtrona is closing the Harvard facility. Some of the 85 employees will be offered positions at a site in Erie, Pa. The plant will close officially July 27.

“It’s sad to see them leave,” said Harvard Mayor Jay Nolan. “They were a longtime employer in Harvard. It’s disappointing to see a company move out; to see any company move [much] less one with 80-plus employees. These are tough times.”

“It’s too bad,” said Harvard City Administrator Dave Nelson. “Sometimes these business decisions are made and that’s basically what this is. They are consolidating factories, and this happens to be the odd man out.”

According to the company website, the Richco plant in Harvard was an injection molding facility that manufactured plastic fasteners and components.

The city and the county are actively marketing the building that is 45,000 square feet and sits on four acres.

Nelson said the city is working with the brokerage firm, the McHenry County Economic Development Corporation and the Harvard Economic Development Corporation to occupy the building and retain the jobs.

Pam Cumpata, president of the MC EDC, said in an email that the building has been “added to our available sites for searches and inquiries from companies looking to expand their operations or relocate to another building.  We are actively looking for a company to move into the building.”

Employees at Richco signed nondisclosure agreements upon leaving the company that do not allow them to speak about the business, and representatives from Richco declined to comment for this article.