Illinois factory closure will cost 98 jobs

FISHER -- The owner of an eastern Illinois plant that makes products for the steel industry says the facility will close, costing 98 people their jobs.

Vesuvius USA says it will start closing the plant in Fisher, about 20 miles northwest of Champaign, in late March. The final shutdown date isn't known.

The company says in a news release that it's closing the plant because of drops in demand for its products and to improve efficiency.

Vesuvius USA is a subsidiary of Belgium-based Vesuvius Group.