Western Pa. garden hose factory will close

SOMERSET, Pa. (AP) — A southwestern Pennsylvania plant that makes garden hoses and related products is winding down operations for a scheduled plant closing on Nov. 1.

Plans to close the Gilmour Manufacturing Co. plant in Somerset were announced in March. The plant had about 280 workers then and employs about 160 now.

The plant’s parent company is Robert Bosch Tool Co., of Farmington Hills, Mich. Work from the Somerset plant will be moved to another Bosch subsidiary in Peoria, Ill.

No workers from the Somerset plant are expected to move to the Illinois operation, which will employ fewer workers than the plant being closed.

The plant is about 55 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.