B.G. auto hose plant to close this week
50 workers lose jobs at Cooper-Standard
3/28/2012BOWLING GREEN -- Cooper-Standard Automotive will close its hose manufacturing facility in Bowling Green on Friday.
The facility, which has 50 workers remaining, is being closed as the company continues to consolidate its global operations under a plan announced in February, 2011.
The facility employed about 600 people at its height, Cooper-Standard Automotive spokesman Sharon Wenzl said, but that number has decreased over the last few years. The work at that facility has been moved to a plant in Kentucky, she added.
Some jobs were slated to be transferred to Mexico, but the state of Kentucky offered the company a more lucrative deal to bring its business there, Ms. Wenzl said.
"We're always looking at our footprint and looking at where we can be most competitive," she said.
About 150 jobs were added to the Kentucky plant.
Pat Gallagher, subdistrict director of the United Steelworkers Union, could not be reached for comment Wednesday. The union represents workers at the facility.
The Bowling Green facility produced hoses for foreign and domestic vehicles.
According to a release from the Novi, Mich. company, "the decision follows an extensive review of the company's current hose manufacturing capacity, as well as future market trends and forecasts for vehicle production rates in North America. As a result of this analysis, the Cooper Standard management team determined that there is not sufficient production volume to continue operating all three of its North American hose facilities."