Grove battery plant is ending operations

Xtreme Power Grove employees were notified on Wednesday and Thursday the plant would be shutting down immediately, company officials said.

“It's never good for a community to lose jobs this time of year,” said Lisa Friden, Grove Area Chamber of Commerce president.

“There were rumors of a possible shutdown like last year, but the plant closing took us all by surprise,” she said.

Chamber records showed the plant opened in 2008 and employed 108 people.

Most of the workers will apply for unemployment benefits while waiting to see what transpires, she said.