WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — The Simmonds Road metallized plastic film manufacturer will close this summer after more than 50 years of operation.

 

The Berkshire Eagle reported that Steinerfilm will close at the end of June, leaving 34 people unemployed. The company is working to connect employees with new jobs and resources, and will transition its customers to German sister company Steiner Film GmbH.

 

The Eagle reported that rising costs, supply chain issues, and tariffs made it difficult to operate in the U.S., and a planned sale of the company to a customer fell through.

 

After the closure, the property will go up for sale and the machines will be decommissioned.

 

Founded on the heels of Ernst Steiner’s 1951 breakthrough in downsizing electrical capacitors using metallized plastic film, Steinerfilm officially planted its roots in Williamstown in 1972 as a sales and distribution hub. The operation quickly moved from a satellite office to full-scale manufacturing, launching domestic metallizing production in 1978 with custom German equipment and anchoring its supply chain in 1981 by acquiring its own polypropylene film line.

 

The company underwent a final major facility expansion in 1990. In its prime, the faciltiy employed nearly 200 people.