According to reports in the Jackson Sun and the Jackson Star, Guardian Automotive of Auburn Hills, Mich., which recently purchased three plants in Tennessee, will close one plant later this year. The Siegel-Robert Automatoive South plant, also called Tennessee Electroplating, is slated to begin layoffs in July, which will affect 524 employees.
This plant was purchased a month ago by Guardian. It also purchased the Ripley North Siegel-Robert plant which employs 625 employees and the Newbern plant which has 200 employees.
Siegel-Robert's two plants in Ripley manufacture front-end grills, door handles and other chrome or painted accessories for the automotive industry. The company's largest customers were General Motors and Chrysler, but it also sold to Japanese auto companies, according to a former plant manager for the company, as reported by Jackson Sun.
