Oscar maker plans layoffs in Chicago

The Associated Press, Friday, December 7, 2012, 9:02am (PST)

CHICAGO (AP) — The Chicago company that makes the familiar gold-plated Oscar statues is laying off almost 100 employees.

R.S. Owens & Co. Inc. said this week in a notice to the Illinois Department of Commerce that it will lay off 95 workers on Dec. 17. The notice says the layoffs are permanent. The business-data website Hoovers says the company has about 250 employees.

The cuts come a month after R.S Owens announced it was being purchased on Dec. 17 by St. Regis Crystal Inc. of Indianapolis. R.S. Owens had said earlier this year that it was struggling financially.

A news release on the sale said the company will continue to make Oscar and Emmy statues in Chicago.

R.S. Owens has been making the Oscar statues for about 30 years.