The plant closure was included in a press release also announcing the company's major investment to modernize its facilities and support more economic growth and jobs in the state. The company said that its $32 million investment will include development of a state-of-the-art, hub-assembly facility in Monroe. This investment will enable ConMet to meet growing market demand for air disc brake hubs and other products from area customers, and is expected to create approximately 80 new jobs.

Today’s announcement follows previous ConMet investments in North Carolina of more than $30 million to expand capacity and improve efficiency at its Canton plastics plant. Ongoing investment and expansion at Canton have been made to improve manufacturing efficiency, reduce fixed costs and keep ConMet competitive in the area plastics market for heavy duty trucks.

The expansion at Canton includes transferring production from the company’s aging Bryson City plastics facility, which is scheduled to close permanently by Feb. 1, 2018. The facility, which the company opened more than two decades ago in a former textile warehouse, has an outdated physical plant that has limited modernization and expansion options.

“While local customer demand will support only one plastics facility in North Carolina, we believe that our in-state investments will increase both our manufacturing footprint and jobs in North Carolina because the Canton facility is newer and much better positioned for future growth,” said ConMet President Mike Swiderski.

All hourly and many salaried employees at Bryson City whose positions are affected will be offered the opportunity to transfer to other ConMet locations in North Carolina. Those transfers are expected to start by this June.

“This was a difficult decision. We are proud of our hard-working Bryson City employees and we appreciate their contributions. We are providing significant advance notice to try to help make this transition as easy as possible. Our highest priority will be working with all affected employees to assist them in any way possible during this transition,” said Swiderski.

The Bryson City plant, which began operation in 1995, currently employs approximately 230 hourly workers and 40 salaried workers. As part of the in-state consolidation of production, approximately 125 Bryson City employees will be given the opportunity to transfer to the newer Canton facility, 50 miles east of Bryson City.

Additionally, ConMet will provide a comprehensive package of severance and benefits to those employees who are laid off as a result of the company’s reorganization of production in North Carolina. ConMet is also continuing to invest in an existing plastics plant in Monterrey, Mexico, which supports truck-manufacturing customers in that country. These customers require their suppliers to be located locally to speed delivery and more closely manage inventory.