Bartels Packing notified employees Friday that the Eugene meatpacker would close two facilities and lay off all 142 workers, effective immediately.

"As you may know, the recent performance of the company has been disappointing," Chris Bartels, the plants' chief executive, wrote in a note to employees. He said difficulties included falling sales, accumulating inventory and the loss of a major customer.

All that coincided with a line of credit coming due, Bartels wrote in a letter provided to state workforce officials. The company and its representatives did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

"In an attempt to save the business and your jobs, we pursued several options for possible purchase but ultimately were unable to secure a qualified buyer with the last buyer electing to not move forward with a sale just this week," Bartels wrote. He said the company couldn't give employees advance warning because it might have jeopardized efforts to find new business opportunities or financing.

Bartels' website traces the family's history to the late 19th Century. Ancestors owned a meat shop in Portland, then moved from Portland to Cottage Grove and built a slaughterhouse. In 2016, The Register-Guard paper reported that federal authorities briefly suspended Bartels' operations due to inhumane slaughtering practices.

Oregon's job market remains strong overall despite periodic layoffs. The jobless rate in the Eugene area was 4.2 percent in January, according to state data.

-- Mike Rogoway; twitter: @rogoway; 503-294-7699