Anchor Glass plant loses Rolling Rock business

Some 60 to 75 workers will be idled on a decorating line that used to paint Latrobe Brewing Co.'s bottles.

Labatt Brewing Co. Ltd. and Latrobe Brewing said Monday that Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc., a subsidiary of Toledo, Ohio-based Owens-Illinois Inc., will supply all glass bottles used in packaging at Labatt's nine breweries in North America — a deal that includes Latrobe Brewing, which produces Rolling Rock and Rock Light beer.

Belgian brewing giant Interbrew Sa., the parent of Labatt and Latrobe Brewing, has been shopping for a global bottling agreement since last July, a move that had threatened the future of the Anchor Glass Container Corp. plant. About 60 percent of the Fayette County plant's business came from Latrobe Brewing. That ended Dec. 31, and totaled production of about 230 million bottles a year.