Late last year, Michigan-based Grede LLC told workers at its 50-year-old foundry in Brewton, Alabama, that the company planned to shutter all manufacturing operations by the end of 2025.

On April 1, the company issued a WARN notice with the state that says the wind down will begin on May 22, 2025, and some 160 employees will be affected. But it turns out many more will be out of work. 

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According to AL.com, the Brewton facility has 130 hourly employees, 30 on salary and some 60 third-party contractors repped by the United Steelworkers union. So, in total, about 220 workers will be out of a job. 

The plant makes highly engineered iron castings, and Grede will transfer the work to other locations by mid-year. The company has eight other locations, primarily in the Midwest, including three in Wisconsin. 

Grede makes safety-critical components, like large axle housings, and chassis and drivetrain components used in the industrial machinery, automotive and commercial truck markets.

In a statement to AL.com, the company says its primary markets haven't rebounded to pre-COVID volumes, which has opened up capacity across its U.S. foundries. 

Employees will receive a severance package and have been offered a chance to relocate to other plants. The company could repurpose the facility, potentially converting it into a warehouse or R&D center. 

The Brewton foundry was built in 1975; operations started the following year. At one point, Grede operated four facilities in Alabama, the Brewton plant is the final location.

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WEBVTTX-TIMESTAMP-MAP=LOCAL:00:00:00.000,MPEGTS:000:00.159 --> 00:06.480Late last year, Michigan-based Grady LLC toldworkers at its 50 year old foundry in Bruton,00:06.599 --> 00:12.750Alabama that the company planned to shutter allmanufacturing operations by the end of 2025.00:12.880 --> 00:17.420On April 1st, the company issued a warm noticewith the state that says the wind down will00:17.420 --> 00:23.280begin on May 22, 2025, and some 160 employeeswill be affected.00:23.739 --> 00:26.280But it turns out that many more will be out ofwork.00:26.450 --> 00:31.469According to AL.com, the Bruton facility has130 hourly employees,00:31.610 --> 00:37.84030 on salary, and some 63rd party contractorsrepped by the United Steel Workers Union.00:38.209 --> 00:42.720So in total about 220 workers will be out of ajob.00:42.979 --> 00:48.520The plant makes highly engineered iron castings,and Grady will transfer the work to other00:48.520 --> 00:49.689locations by mid-year.00:49.990 --> 00:53.150The company has 8 other locations primarily inthe Midwest,00:53.459 --> 00:54.889including 3 in Wisconsin.00:55.180 --> 01:00.259Grady makes safety critical components likelarge axle housings and chassis in drivetrain01:00.259 --> 01:04.720components used in the industrial machinery,automotive, and commercial truck markets.01:04.900 --> 01:10.160In a statement to AL.com, the company says itsprimary markets haven't rebounded to pre-COVID01:10.160 --> 01:14.464volumes, which has opened up capacity.Across its US boundaries,01:14.794 --> 01:19.074employees will receive a severance package andhave been offered a chance to relocate to other01:19.074 --> 01:22.105plants.The company could repurpose the facility,01:22.355 --> 01:25.985potentially converting it into a warehouse oran R&D center.01:26.235 --> 01:31.205The Bruton Foundry was built in 1975.Operations started the following year.01:31.394 --> 01:35.425At one point, Grady operated 4 facilities inAlabama.01:35.875 --> 01:38.184The one in Bruton was the final one.01:38.474 --> 01:39.544I'm David Manti.01:39.794 --> 01:41.224This is manufacturing now.