Profile and tubing extruder Crescent Plastics Inc. will close by the end of the year, ending the jobs of 62 workers and shuttering a plant that's been in business more than 70 years.

The Evansville, Ind., extruder blamed increasing foreign competition in many of the markets it serves, which include lighting, agriculture, heavy trucking, appliances and point-of-purchase displays.

"In recent years, and to Crescent's detriment, many of these industries increasingly transitioned their production facilities and supplier bases to low-cost countries, specifically Mexico and China," the company said in a news release.

Company officials had said just last year they hoped to take advantage of a general rise in domestic demand driven by supply-chain disruptions and the COVID-19 pandemic, but that movement didn't materialize for Crescent.

"Ultimately, the lack of domestic demand for the products Crescent produces resulted in the decision to discontinue operations," the recent news release said.

The company's only plant generated estimated sales of $20.5 million last year, placing it at No. 104 in Plastics News' ranking of North American pipe, profile and tubing extruders.

Crescent officials told local media that the closing will not affect its much larger sister company, Cresline Plastic Pipe Co. Inc. Cresline has estimated annual sales of $235 million and six plants, ranking No. 26 in the same survey.

Another sister company, custom injection molder Wabash Plastics Inc., also is not expected to be affected by Crescent's demise, according to local reports. All three companies are based in Evansville and owned by the Schroeder family.

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