Released on March 2, 2009

Fort Wayne Foundry Corp., Fort Wayne, Ind., recently announced it will close its Lima Road casting facility, one of two metalcasters the company operates.

Fort Wayne Foundry indicated in a press release that the closing is due to the downturn in the automotive industry. The 62,000-sq.-ft. Lima Road plant produces high volume aluminum castings primarily for automotive customers on two automatic green sand molding lines. Company officials declined to comment further on the closing, but the Associated Press reported that 157 jobs would be cut when the plant shuts down.

In addition to the metalcasting facility closing, Fort Wayne Foundry announced a “mass layoff” at its machining division, also located in Fort Wayne, to take place in June. Fort Wayne Foundry said in its press release it would be working with union officials at each site to coordinate the closing and lay-off.

Fort Wayne Foundry will continue to operate its Columbia City division, a 100,000-sq.-ft. high-volume sand facility.