Oscar maker cuts jobs

labour • The Chicago company that makes the familiar gold-plated Oscar statues is laying off almost 100 employees as it’s bought by a Canadian firm. But some workers could be rehired.

R.S. Owens & Co. Inc. said this week in a notice to the Illinois Department of Commerce that it will lay off 95 workers Dec. 17 when it is purchased by St. Regis Crystal of Canada. The business-data website Hoovers says R.S. Owens has about 250 employees.

R.S. Owens president Scott Siegel said many employees have applied to work for the new company but he isn’t sure how many will be hired.

Oscar and Emmy statues will still be made in Chicago. R.S. Owens has been manufacturing Oscar statues for about 30 years.