Henkel Corp., which makes laundry products at an 800-employee, 2.3 million-square-foot plant in Bowling Green’s South Industrial Park, has been forced by the Kentucky Labor Cabinet to temporarily shut down the local plant after having positive COVID-19 cases among its employees and failing to follow social distancing guidelines put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Marjorie Arnold, chief of staff for the Labor Cabinet, said in an email that Henkel was issued “an order to cease operations Tuesday for failure to properly implement the Centers for Disease Control guidance on social distancing in the workplace.”

Arnold did not know when the order would be lifted, saying: “Businesses that have been issued closure orders must be able to show a viable plan to achieve the CDC guidance on social distancing in their workplace prior to reopening.”

Seona Skwara, external communications director for Henkel North America, said in an email Friday that the Bowling Green plant had a “small number” of confirmed cases of the respiratory disease caused by the coronavirus but was continuing to operate. On Tuesday, however, a recorded message on the plant’s human resources telephone number said the plant is “currently closed.”

Skwara confirmed that and released this statement from the company: “While we have taken significant measures to safeguard our employees, we will cooperate fully with the Kentucky Labor Cabinet to understand their feedback and to take appropriate actions that may be necessary so we can resume production of laundry detergent products that are so essential to society to help consumers maintain home hygiene during this crisis.”

Henkel makes Snuggle, Persil and other laundry products.

The shutdown is described as temporary, but Ashli McCarty, a spokeswoman for the Barren River District Health Department, said in an email that “any business that fails to comply with state orders can face fines or further action in order to ensure compliance.”

A message from Skwara on April 10 indicated that Henkel was taking steps to comply with health department directives and keep its employees safe.

“The company has notified all co-workers and is working with the public health department to help ensure that all direct contacts with individuals who have tested positive have been informed,” Skwara said.

Skwara said Henkel “added further safety and screening measures to further safeguard them (employees).”

Because of the nature of Henkel’s products, Skwara said, it’s important for the plant to continue operating.

“Henkel has an important responsibility to society during this crisis, as a company that provides products essential for cleaning and personal hygiene,” Skwara said.

Germany-based Henkel has been growing locally and earned the 2018 Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year Award. Last year, Henkel and Austria-based ALPLA said they would join forces to build a 170,000-square-foot packaging operation on the Henkel campus.

The local Henkel plant was previously Sun Products before being purchased by Henkel in 2016.

Although it’s a multinational company, Henkel has a strong presence in the United States. Its website said Henkel’s North American sales of about $6 billion in 2018 account for 25 percent of the company’s global sales.

“The United States is one of Henkel’s biggest and most important markets, and the company has continuously strengthened its position here through nearly $5 billion in investments over the past four years,” said Stephan Fuesti-Molnar, Henkel’s North American president for consumer goods.

– Follow business reporter Don Sergent on Twitter @BGDNbusiness or visit bgdailynews.com.