Joliet's Seeler Industries Fights Coronavirus: 'We're Hiring'

JOLIET, IL — At a time when many small businesses are temporarily closed or have shut down production lines, Joliet's Seeler Industries is fighting to stop the spread of the new coronavirus, and the company wants to spread the word it needs more workers.

"It's a great family company to work for," Steve Seeler, chief executive officer, told Joliet Patch last week. "We're above average in pay in the industry. We have room for advancement for the right people."

Seeler Industries operates its chemical production and logistics plant at the bottom of the hill near the intersection of Broadway and Theodore Streets, on the city's northwest side. Steve Seeler told Patch that his employees live all across the Joliet area including Plainfield, Oswego and Coal City.

The Joliet business told Patch it has increased production of peroxyacetic acid by more than 20 percent since February. According to Seeler Industries, peroxyacetic acid has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for use against the cause of the coronavirus.

"As a family-run company for more than 40 years, we are proud to make more than one-third of the nation's peroxyacetic acid, which is an important tool in the right against COVID-19," the company's CEO said.

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According to Seeler Industries, its chemical products are used by hospitals, nursing homes, schools and food production facilities. The company said peroxyacetic acid is used in cleaning and sterilizing commercial and industrial surfaces such as floors and counters.

Seeler Industries said it makes the product by combining concentrated vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. In 2019, Seeler Industries said it produced more than 80 million pounds of peroxyacetic acid. The Joliet company does not sell its product directly to consumers in a retail setting.

"We are doing everything in our power to boost production, including adding shifts, as we take steps to safeguard the health and safety of our employees and their families. We are fortunate that our facility has a rail spur which allows us to bring in the large amounts of raw materials we need to keep up with demand," the company's CEO noted.

He said that job security is important to him and his executive staff.

"We've never had any layoffs," Seeler told Joliet Patch, "and, in a time when a lot of people are staying home, we're hiring."

Seeler Industries says it's a leading manufacturer and distributor of chemicals including hydrogen peroxide, acids, caustics, glycols and other specialty chemicals. The Joliet plant said it employs more than 60 people with an additional 60 indirect positions.

"They're essential employees," Seeler told Joliet Patch last week. "Others, like us, are a contributor to the eradication of this virus."

Seeler Industries operates an 87-acre site in Joliet. The company has more than 2.5 miles of rail access to storage, loading and unloading of bulk quantities of its products.

To learn more about Seeler, including job prospects, visit the company website here.

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