Westermeyer Industries in Bluffs is back to 100% of its operations. The company has fully rebuilt and recovered from a multi-alarm fire that destroyed more than 75% of the business more than 2 years ago.
President Gary Westermeyer told WLDS News yesterday that it’s time to honor the local first responders and provide a meal to them, and show off the business that they helped save from complete disaster.
The facility, which sits along Illinois Route 100 just outside of Bluffs in rural Scott County lost 72,000 square feet of manufacturing space after an undetermined fire started and spread rapidly on the afternoon of August 26, 2022. Smoke from the fire could be seen for miles. Firefighters were able to save a 40,000 square foot smaller building, which Westermeyer has said kept the business from complete collapse.
The new building, which is 97,000 square feet, will be open for two open houses. The first open house will be a private, invitation-only event for first responders for the agencies that helped save the building at Noon on Saturday, August 24th.
Jacksonville, South Jacksonville, Winchester, Meredosia, Arenzville, Chapin, Concord, Griggsville, Pittsfield, North Pike, White Hall, Roodhouse and Beardstown fire departments, as well as Jacksonville-Morgan County Emergency Management, Scott County Sheriff’s Department and Illinois State Police were all responding agencies on the day of the fire. First responders wishing to attend are asked to RSVP by the end of business tomorrow.
Westermeyer said yesterday that the rebuild was done in phases while operations continued and no employees were laid off during the return to full capacity. The expansion has also allowed them to expand into new products and practices that they were previously unable to do, as mentioned in announcements on July 1st.
A community open house open to the public will run from 1-4PM on Sunday, August 25th.