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The economic downturn has struck another area employer.

Solvay Advanced Polymers, on Ohio 7 south of Marietta, will permanently lay off as many as 23 employees by Nov. 17, according to plant manager Wally Kandel.

Kandel said Solvay is restructuring its U.S. operations in response to current economic conditions, affecting about 50 jobs nationwide.

At the local facility, 13 hourly employees will be laid off, in addition to as many as 10 salaried employees, he said.

"This is really in response to reduced sales volume," Kandel said Tuesday.

The changes will result in less product being produced and therefore less personnel needed, he said.

The plant, which produces high-performance specialty plastics for a variety of applications, currently employs 250 people.

Voluntary severance packages were offered to workers last week, Kandel said. Whoever is let go will be offered a severance package and assistance in finding a new job or training, whether they took the voluntary offer or not, he said.

There is no immediate expectation that any of the laid-off workers will be brought back.

Despite the layoffs, Kandel said the local facility is still vital to the company.

"The Marietta operations are an important part of Solvay Advanced Polymers and have a good outlook long term," he said.

Officials with the United Steelworkers of America Local that represents Solvay workers could not be reached for comment Tuesday.

The Solvay layoffs are the latest in a series of industrial job cuts in the area this year.

In January, Americas Styrenics announced it was laying off 60 workers. Two days later, the plant's Ohio 7 neighbor, Eramet Marietta, announced it was cutting 110 jobs.

In Noble County, the MAHLE bearing manufacturing plant closed in June, taking nearly 200 positions with it. In Monroe County, Ormet announced it was cutting about 100 jobs after initially warning the entire plant could close down due to problems acquiring raw materials.