CHAMPAIGN — Herff Jones, the Indianapolis-based maker of graduation caps and gowns, class rings and other items celebrating the school experience, is moving out of Champaign.
The company announced Monday in a news release that it had begun the process of closing its cap-and-gown plant on North Market Street and would expand its operations at its other cap-and-gown facility in Arcola, 40 miles to the south. Distribution operations at the Champaign plant will be consolidated at the company’s Indianapolis headquarters, along with the company’s diploma and fine paper business that produces graduation announcements and invitations.
Herff Jones employs 170-200 workers in Champaign, depending on the time of year, and a similar number in Arcola, according to the company’s executive vice-president for supply chain operations, Andy Penca. He says the Champaign employees will get help from the company in either relocating to take other jobs with the company or in looking for a new role elsewhere.
“If those (relocation) options are not either available, given experience, background, skills training, etc., or if they want to stay working in Champaign, then we’ll have two job fairs that’ll be happening here, on our Champaign site,” Penca explained.
He added that a job fair planned this summer will focus on manufacturing jobs, while a second one in the fall will be focused on distribution.
Penca emphasized that Herff Jones’ decision to close its Champaign plant should not be taken as a reflection on the work force there.
He described the staff as “wonderful people” and “a highly diverse workforce, from folks all around the globe.”
“And we’re really grateful to have them, and certainly excited about thew opportunity to have a lot of those folks be able to continue the journey with Herff Jones.”
Herff Jones bought its Champaign facility in 1979, when it was known as the Collegiate Cap & Gown Company. The company and its building dated back to the 1920’s, and its acquisition brought graduation gowns and related items to Herff Jones’ product line, which already included class rings and other school-related jewelry. Those products are made today at facilities in Maine and Virginia.
Penca said the company supplies items to thousands of schools, colleges and universities across the country, but especially in the South, the East and the Midwest, including the University of Illinois.
The Champaign facility, with a facade resembling that of an early 20th century school building, has been enlarged more than a dozen times, according to Penca. But now, the building is being emptied out in phases, with the decommissioning process for some of its machinery beginning on Monday, the day of the announcement.
The bulk of the Champaign building’s manufacturing work will be moved out by July with distribution operations continuing a few months longer to serve off-season graduation customers in the summer, fall and winter. Penca said the building will be completely closed by next March.
In a statement, Herff Jones CEO Ron Stoupa said the expansion of their Arcola facility shows the company plan to stay in Illinois, even as the Champaign building closes.
“We remain committed to Illinois by strengthening our presence in Arcola and see the transition as a strategic step toward future growth with an expanded, more modern operational footprint.”