Hayes Lemmerz International, Inc. intends to close its Huntington, IN, cast-aluminum wheel plant by the end of its 2006 fiscal second quarter, the company announced. It says the closing is part of its "ongoing plan to maximize utilization of its facilities and eliminate excess costs."
The Hammond plant produces aluminum wheels for domestic automakers. It employs about 185 people, according to Hayes Lemmerz.
Fred Bentley, COO and president of Hayes Lemmerz' Global Wheel Group, stated: "This plant closing is not a reflection on the strong workforce we have in Huntington. They are a talented and dedicated group. We have determined that with certain programs winding down at this facility, the most effective course of action is to better align our available capacity with the market, and make our overall cost structure more competitive."