A glass fabricator in Rockingham County will move its operations about 11 miles north into Virginia resulting in the loss of about 68 North Carolina jobs. However, some of those Press Glass workers may find work with the company’s expanded operations in nearby Ridgeway, Virginia, according to the company.
Press Glass informed the N.C. Department of Commerce in a WARN notice that by March 14 it would begin shutting down its facility in Stoneville, a town of about 1,300 residents around 30 miles north of Greensboro.
“Not all employees at this location will be affected and some will be transferred to Press Glass, Inc.’s Ridgeway, Virginia, facility. The closure is a result of expansion in Ridgeway to consolidate and increase the company’s production capabilities,” according to the WARN letter dated Jan. 13.
In August 2023, Press Glass announced a $155.2 million expansion of its Ridgeway facility that included constructing a 360,000-square-foot addition to its existing facility and adding 355 jobs. Press Glass opened a manufacturing facility in Ridgeway in 2020 and at the time of the 2023 announcement employed 300 people there.
Headquartered in Konopiska, Poland, Press Glass was founded in 1991 and has 15 factories in Europe and the U.S. It sells its products to the construction industry.
Press Glass established its first U.S. operation in 2017 when it acquired Glass Dynamics, which was founded in 1985 and located in Stoneville. Press Glass will now fabricate and deliver all its U.S. products from Ridgeway, Virginia.
“This decision aligns with our vision of streamlining operations and positioning the company for sustained success in the coming years,” Press Glass President Maciej Migalski said in a statement. “This change will drive growth across all market segments, including insulated glass, heavy glass, and all-glass systems. It will also enable us to increase efficiencies and overall production capacity, enhance internal processes, and foster a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.”
Migalski says consolidating operations will help Press Glass grow and further expand its Virginia operations.
Rockingham County had an unemployment rate of 3.7% in November 2024, the same as North Carolina’s overall unemployment rate.