CONFIRMED: NE Phila factory to close, idling 200+

Bemis Healthcare Packaging's Perfecseal facility at 9800 Bustleton, where more than 200 workers manufactured sterile coverings for medical equipement and other products in a plant opened in the 1950s, will shut effective Jan. 26, Bemis tells the Pennsylvania Labor Department here.

Though Bemis officials wouldn't comment, workers at the plant told me about the looming shutdown and transfer of Perfecseal machinery from Philadelphia to Bemis locations in Wisconsin, and I reported the pending shutdown back on July 2.

As I wrote, Bemis is using corporate welfare grants from Wisconsin as it consolidates operations (from Pa. and other states) to its homestate. Gov. Scott Walker, who has shared credit for Bemis' relocation, was running for President at the time. (I felt it was hypocritical of him as a conservative to be throwing money at corporations that way, but I've heard from a number of readers who insist Walker hasn't claimed to be that kind of a conservative.)  He later came to Philadelphia, where he was dogged by rude protesters. He has since dropped out of the national race. (Updated)