ArvinMeritor Joint Venture Company to Close Canada Plant

Meritor Suspension Systems Company (MSSC) – a joint venture between ArvinMeritor and Mitsubishi Steel Manufacturing – has announced plans to close its coil spring operations in Ontario, Canada. The company met with officials from the Canadian Auto Workers union on March 5 to discuss the closure plans and their impact on the plant’s 165 strong workforce.

“We are experiencing unprecedented economic pressure within the global automotive industry,” said Gerald Anderson, president and general manager, MSSC. “This closure reflects actions we are taking to reduce fixed costs in response to significantly lower vehicle production volumes.”

The company says it is currently evaluating the transfer of this business to other MSSC facilities in North America. The phased closure is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2009.