Saint Joseph Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Patt Lilly says there’s a better than 50-50 chance that facilities Bayer Health Care is closing in Saint Joseph will reopen. Lilly says the manufacturing facilities on South 49th Street are very well equipped.

“My understanding is that the facilities are in very good shape, there’s a great deal of equipment there, a great deal of new equipment, and so I still think there’s an opportunity that we could see those facilities up and running again, with employment,” Lilly said.  He estimated the chance of finding a buyer to reopen the facilities at “50 to 70 percent.”

Lilly says if a buyer is found the company will have a good workforce ready to work. Bayer’s decision will idle 130 employees when operations shut down in June. The only Bayer facility not closing is the warehouse distribution center in Mitchell Woods Business Park, which employs about 30 workers.