The eBearing News
December 5, 2001
Accuride Will Close Second U.S. Factory
in South Bend, Indiana
copyright © 2001 eBearing Inc.
Accuride International Inc. (Santa Fe Springs, California), the largest
company in the world dedicated to precision ball bearing slides, will close
its South Bend, Indiana factory by the first quarter 2002. The closing will
affect almost 250 jobs.
South Bend is Accuride's second U.S. factory to be closed in less than
a year. The company recently closed its Charlotte, North Carolina facility,
with the loss of approximately 200 jobs. The Charlotte plant closing was
blamed on an influx of cheap slides from Asia and general overcapacity.
• click here to read the Charlotte plant closing article
Following is the text of the South Bend announcement to employees:
Accuride's business environment is becoming increasingly competitive. We have
analyzed our manufacturing needs going forward and have determined that a substantial
portion of the business serviced from our South Bend facility is highly vulnerable
to markedly lower pricing. We do not believe that we can sustain this business with
the current cost structure. I am informing you today, with this general announcement,
that the South Bend plant will be closed in approximately 4-1/2 months.
The South Bend factory and office complex, built in 1993 at a cost of over USD $6 million,
is 180,000 square feet and employs almost 250 people.
Accuride will now be left with facilities in California, Germany, Japan, the U.K.
and Mexico.
Sources tell eBearing that the South Bend production will be shifted to Mexico and
employees have been told the plant may be shut down as early as January 2002.
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