Decorative Panels International ceases operations at plants in Alpena and Toledo

ALPENA COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) — A major factory in Alpena is shutting down and well over 100 employees are out of a job.

Decorative Panels International announced they are ceasing all operations and closing both their plants in Alpena and Toledo.

UpNorthLive News reporter Daniel Zivian spoke to State Representative Cam Cavitt about what this means and what’s next for the employees.

Since the 1950s, the Alpena plant has manufactured hardboard wall paneling.

It’s been owned by DBI since 2004.

The walls of your kitchen or bathroom may have been made here or at DPI’s flagship plant in Toledo.

But in a surprise announcement on Thursday morning, DPI said everything is shutting down.

In a press release the company wrote that: “Recent financial challenges have proved significant and insurmountable, leading to the decision to close these facilities. The company reports that this decision was made after careful consideration and in-depth exploration of alternatives.”

It said some operations will end immediately and others will wind down later this year.

Rep. Cavitt said that laid-off employees can call his office for help.

“We don’t want any of the employees to have any hiccups in their monthly payments. We don’t want them to miss house payments, truck payments, etc., and we’ll get the unemployment agency involved in that,” Rep. Cavitt said.

“We can work with our federal partners for food assistance, see if there’s some relief there that they’re entitled to. Guarantee whatever state and federal programs are out there, we’re going to make sure the get it,” Rep. Cavitt said.

UpNorthLive News reached out to DPI for further comment, which they declined to give.

According to the website for the plant’s forestry program, 185 employees were working there.