Pittsburgh Glass Works responded to the struggling North American auto industry with a restructuring plan that includes the reduction of 150 salaried jobs and the closing of as many as five plants, the company said Dec. 1.
The automotive glass supplier said it will cease production at its Oshawa, Ontario, glass fabrication facility in the first quarter 2009. Later in the year, the company will close two satellite assembly plants in Newark, Del., and Cambridge, Ontario. An additional two plant shutdowns are expected to be announced once an analysis is completed in early January, said Jim Wiggins, PGW president and CEO, in a statement.
"This realignment will enable us to adapt to the changing demands of the industry," he said. "The changes are part of PGW's transformation of its manufacturing footprint and will help to improve our focus on our remaining facilities."
Wiggins added that the company will invest in remaining facilities and has identified several opportunities to improve efficiency at its glass fabrications plants and throughout its replacement glass distribution system.