Borbet GmbH will close its Auburn, AL, aluminum-alloy casting operation by the end of 2020, local officials have announced. About 250 employees will be affected by the closing, according to reports.
The news of the shutdown followed an announcement in March that the German company would invest $23.9 million to expand the operation it acquired in 2008.
The plant is an integrated operation that includes melting, casting, flow forming, X-ray inspection, heat treating, machining, and painting for automotive, commercial vehicle, and specialty vehicle wheels.
“These are very unfortunate circumstances, but the market developments did not allow the owners to continue the operation. We are very thankful for the support we have received from the City of Auburn, the Industrial Development Board, and the people since the very beginning," stated Borbet Alabama CEO Juergen Keller. “All of us are saddened that our manufacturing operation will not be part of this wonderful community anymore.”
Borbet GmbH is a family owned aluminum casting business with eight plants in Germany, Austria, and South Africa.
“Manufacturing industries like Borbet have a significant economic impact on a local community. We are thankful for all that the Borbet family has done for Auburn. Our department will continue to identify new opportunities for Auburn to replace the lost jobs and tax revenue,” stated Phillip Dunlap, the city's economic development director.