WILLIAMSTOWN -- The Fenton Art Glass Co. announced Thursday it would cease its operations over the next few months.

“We’ve been working on trying to find a proper restructuring plan for a couple of years,” company President George W. Fenton told The State Journal. “… We’ve been working on it intently for the last three or four months. We’ve been unable to come up with a ‘go forward’ plan.”

Founded in 1905, Fenton Art Glass is known worldwide for its handmade colored art glass.

Fenton announced in June that the company was trying to restructure its finances. The company plans to continue accepting orders through the end of August, he said.

They will fill as many of those orders as possible through September, and work on decorating them into December, he said.

During that time, Fenton officials will continue working on a restructuring plan that will keep the plant in business, Fenton said.

About 150 people work at the factory, and 25 will be laid off immediately. Fenton informed them about the shutdown plan Thursday morning, he said.

“It’s a sad day here for sure,” Fenton said. “A lot of them have been here for many, many years. They’re an important part of (the factory).”

He said the glass industry has several trends ongoing, and those trends have not helped the company stay afloat.

“One is that we generally sell to people in rural (areas) with moderate incomes," he said "… Today, they have less discretionary income. Two, people are doing less collecting. Three, there is more competition from overseas.

"Four, there are higher costs, especially natural gas," Fenton said. "Health care is right behind. Those have all come together.”

In a news release issued Thursday, Fenton said the company's creditors have agreed to "an orderly plan to wind down our business."

"We want to pay off as much of our debt as possible before we cease operations altogether, and this plan allows us to do that," he said.

“We want to thank those in the local community for their support,” Fenton said, “and we want to thank our larger customer community. Most of all, we want to thank all of the current and past employees of Fenton Art Glass who have been part of the Fenton tradition of glassmaking.”

The Fenton Gift Shop will remain open, and its management will be exploring ways to continue to offer visitors and tourists the glassmaking experience.

“Fenton Glass has been an important part of West Virginia’s industrial and cultural heritage for many years. It is truly a shame that global market conditions have made it so difficult for this company -- and our country’s entire handmade glass industry as a whole -- to compete," said Gov Joe Manchin in statement released Thursday afternoon.

Manchin said the state will continue to work with the company.

“Our Development Office leadership team has been in contact with Fenton’s management for quite some time as they have worked to do everything possible to assist the company. We will now continue to do everything we can to assist the company’s workers during this difficult time," the governor said.