Charles City chicken processing plant to close

CHARLES CITY — Charles City’s chicken processing plant is shutting down.

In a notice to employees on Thursday, Simply Essentials announced it will be closing its plant and all other operations on August 5. A total of 513 employees will be laid off or terminated. It includes the Charles City complex, operations office and ranch work site locations.

The notice says the “layoffs/terminations are expected to be permanent.” It did not specify the reason for shutting down the plant.