Morton Salt to end packaging, warehousing at Elston Ave. facility

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Morton Salt will cease its packaging and warehousing operations at the Elston Avenue plant in Chicago by the end of October, the company announced Tuesday.

The move will impact 23 employees, Morton Salt said in a press release. The facility packages and stores ice-melting salt and other bulk salts for sale to commercial businesses.

"The analysis of our Elston facility showed that it would be more efficient to serve customers from other sites in our network," Jim Vincent, vice president of operations at Morton Salt, said in a written statement.

Morton Salt said it will maintain a business presence at the facility, which has been in operation since the 1920s.

PHOTOS: Morton Salt collapse covers cars at Acura Dealership

In December 2014, tons of salt spilled out of the Elston facility when a wall partially collapsed. No one was injured, but 11 cars were damaged at a neighboring Acura dealership.

At the time, investigators said the wall collapsed because the salt was piled too high inside the facility.