Alabama manufacturing plant to end operations after almost 50 years and lay off 200
A nearly 50-year-old manufacturing plant in Alabama will be shutting down its operations in the coming month.
Grede LLC, a metal casting company that manufactures automotive, commercial truck, and industrial parts, internally announced to its 220-member workforce in February that their operations at their Brewton, Alabama will be closing.
A spokesperson for the company said that their operations in Brewton, which began in 1976, are closing because the facility hasn't been able to match its 'pre-COVID volumes.'
All manufacturing operations are expected to end by the year's end, but a spokesperson for Grede said the facility will remain open for storage purposes.
More: Justice Department ends investigation into rampant sewage problems in Lowndes County
Though employees were notified in February of the company's plans, the WARN notice — postings required by federal law to notify workers before mass layoffs and plant closures — documenting the intent to close is dated April 1, effective May 22, according to the Alabama Department of Commerce.
The WARN act requires companies with over 100 employees to post these notices 60 days in advance of action, but this notice predates the closure's intended date by only 52 days. Matt Hladki, chief administrative officer of Grede, said that the company sent the WARN notice related to the impending close of operations to the State of Alabama, Brewton mayor, and United Steelworkers on March 20, which would meet the federal requirements.
The company confirmed that workers affected have been offered opportunities to transfer to other sites Grede operates or severance packages if they wish to leave the company.
Sarah Clifton covers business for the Montgomery Advertiser. You can reach her at sclifton@montgome.gannett.com or follow her on X @sarahgclifton.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama manufacturing plant shutters operations after almost 50 years
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