BusinessThursday, November 5
Niagara Bottling is closing its Ocala plant and laying off the last 57 workers
The Daily Ocala team
Niagara Bottling is closing the former Silver Springs Bottled Water Co. plant at 2445 NW 42nd Street. A WARN letter dated Oct. 31, sent to Ocala Mayor Ben Marciano and the Florida Department of Commerce, cites an "organizational restructuring". WCJB says the layoffs are expected by the end of the year.
The 57 jobs are the plant's entire remaining staff, from injection operators and forklift drivers to quality control staff and the plant director.
The plant's last 57 jobs are scheduled to end Dec. 31
- Sept. 2025Niagara buys the Silver Springs Bottled Water Co. plant for $25.7 million
- Oct. 2025Eighty-five workers are laid off at the plant
- March 2026Niagara tells Ocala-News.com the plant is not closing
- Oct. 31Niagara's WARN letter announces the plant's closure
- Dec. 31Terminations of the 57 remaining workers are scheduled to take effect
Sources: Ocala-News.com, WCJB
- Plant history: the Richmond family operated it starting in 1991
- Niagara's other Florida plants: Groveland and Jacksonville
In March, Niagara told Ocala-News.com the plant wasn't closing and that it was streamlining operations with a smaller workforce.
Niagara paid $25.7 million for a plant it is now closing
- $25.7 million
- paid for the Ocala plant
- 85
- workers laid off after the purchase
- 57
- remaining jobs set to end Dec. 31
Sources: Ocala-News.com, WCJB
Sources: Ocala-News.com, WCJB