EVANSVILLE, Ind. (May 3, 2001) — Accuride Corp., North America's largest producer of wheels for medium and heavy trucks and trailers, will close its Columbia, Tenn., wheel plant and consolidate production at other facilities.
``While Columbia met our expectations operationally, market dynamics make it no longer feasible for us to manufacture single light wheels in a stand-alone facility,´´ said Bill Greubel, Accuride´s president and CEO.
Accuride expects to complete its consolidation by the third quarter of 2002. The company will maintain production in Columbia until all customer orders can be fulfilled through production at Accuride´s other facilities.
The consolidation will eliminate significant fixed overhead costs and will allow Accuride to be price competitive in the light steel wheel market, the company said. Accuride said it has not finalized plans regarding which of its facilities will absorb the Columbia production equipment.
The company makes wheels for buses, commercial light trucks, sport-utility vehicles, and passenger cars. Accuride has steel wheel operations in Henderson, Ky. Columbia, Tenn., London, Ontario, and Monterrey, Mexico, and makes aluminum wheels in Erie, Pa., and Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.
Additionally, the Company produces tire molds at Erie, and operates commercial tire and wheel assembly joint venture in Springfield, Ohio, and Talbotville, Ontario.