The Lehigh Valley will lose a production facility that has been a regional presence for several decades when the Day-Timer facility in the Village of East Texas, Lower Macungie Township, ends production March 29. The facility will remain open with minimal staff until June 28.

ACCO Brands Corporation, the parent company of Day-Timer brand products, is moving production from the Lower Macungie facility primarily to a much larger facility owned by ACCO in Sidney, N.Y. Sidney is located near Binghamton, N.Y.

The East Texas Day-Timer company was founded in 1947. Its products include the well-known Day-Timer paper time planning and productivity products, as well as smart-phone apps and web-based planning solutions.

In addition to the relocation of production at the Sidney facility, support functions will relocate to other ACCO Brands facilities in Kettering, Ohio, and Lincolnshire, Ill., where the ACCO world headquarters is located.

The transition began in September 2012. ACCO said about 300 employees are affected by the plant closing.

Thomas W. Tedford, executive vice president of ACCO Brands and president, U.S. Office and Consumer Products praised the workers at the East Texas facility last summer when the announcement was made.

"Our East Texas employees have been loyal and productive contributors to our success for many years. Nevertheless, our recent merger with the Mead Consumer & Office Products business has created a significant overlap in our dated goods business, and the best option for our company in the long term is to co-locate these businesses in the much larger facility in Sidney, N.Y."

Severance has been made available to all eligible full-time employees, along with outplacement and other employee assistance programs, a company spokesman told The Press. In addition, all employees were eligible to bid on jobs for which they are qualified at other ACCO facilities. The spokesman said the move will create approximately 70 new positions.

To date, seven employees have chosen to relocate to facilities in Sydney, N.Y., Kettering, Ohio, and Booneville, Miss.

The spokesman said several scenarios were looked at last year which would allow some operations to continue at the East Texas facility, but financial considerations made the relocation the only acceptable solution to the production overlap.

The spokesman also said several parties have expressed an interest in the East Texas facility, which is currently for sale. Their identities remain confidential as discussions continue.

ACCO said the Day-Timer® line of planners will continue to be manufactured as one of its most brand recognized products.