Copyright M Live Michigan
Several automotive suppliers announced plans to close their Michigan operations over the past few months, citing a “decline in business” and resulting in hundreds of job losses. Below are five Michigan employers that announced plans to lay off 427 employees in October. The list is based on Federal Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act notices filed with the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. The WARN Act requires businesses to provide advance notice of at least 60 days in cases of qualified plant closings and mass layoffs. Dana Thermal Products Dana Thermal Products in a WARN letter dated Oct. 8 said it would permanently lay off approximately 200 employees due to the closure of its facility at 3600 Giddings Road in Auburn Hills. Layoffs started on Oct. 9 and are expected to continue through Jan. 31, according to the letter. Dana Thermal Products is an indirect subsidiary of Dana Incorporated, which is a manufacturer and supplier of engineered solutions for power vehicles and machinery. NPR of America Japanese auto parts manufacturer Nippon Piston Ring notified the state in August that it would shutter its plant at 11118 U.S. 31 in Grand Haven, terminating all 64 employees in the process. The plant is slated to close in 2027, but the majority of the layoffs will happen by the end of 2025, the letter said. The first 50 employees were to be laid off between October and December. Three more employees will lose their jobs by mid-January 2026, followed by nine additional terminations through June 2026. The final two employees will be laid off before the plant’s closure date on Feb. 28, 2027, according to the letter. Akebono Brake Corp. Akebono Brake Corp. alerted the state in September that it would lay off 48 employees at its facility at 34385 W. Twelve Mile Road in Farmington Hills. The company in a WARN letter said the permanent layoffs are the “result of a decline in Akebono’s U.S. Business.” Layoffs were slated to begin on Oct. 1 and end Dec. 1. The impacted positions include engineers, lab techs, analysts, designers and program managers. DP World Logistics DP World Logistics in August issued a WARN letter stating it would close its facility located at 23200 Hoover Road in Warren, affecting 70 employees. The company stated in the letter that the Warren location’s only customer gave notice that it will no longer need DP World’s services after Oct. 5. Closure of the Warren Facility is expected to be permanent. Layoffs were expected to occur on Oct. 5, the letter stated. Davalor Mold Company Detroit area auto parts manufacturer Davalor Mold Company in August issued a WARN letter said it is closing its facility at 46480 Continental Drive in New Baltimore, permanently laying off all 45 employees. The company cited a “downturn in business resulting in a significant loss of revenue,” as the reason for the closure. Layoffs were slated to occur between Oct. 3 and Nov. 7.
