Japanese-owned aluminum die casting plant

The proposed sale or closure of a Japanese-owned aluminum die casting plant in Niles could affect nearly 200 jobs, according to the company.

Metaldyne Corporation, owned by Asahi Tec, announced that it would divest its Niles plant at 6119 W. Howard St. as well as a Middleville, Mich. facility.

"Our first objective is to try and sell the plants," said Metaldyne spokeswoman Marge Sorge. "We have great work forces there."

The sale will affect 167 hourly employees and 21 salaried employees at the Niles plant, which functions primarily as an auto parts supplier and has been in operation since 1962.

"There is interest in the plants," Sorge said. "We don't know when they will be sold, but they will continue to operate until then."

Of course, Sorge said, there is no guarantee the plants will be sold or that they will continue to operate as they have been under a new owner -- they could be closed.

"There is a market for the products these plants produce, so we think we'll be able to sell them," she said. "But all of that will be up to the new owners."

Metaldyne is headquartered in Plymouth, Mich. and has annual revenues of approximately $1.8 billion. The company employs more than 6,300 employees at 33 facilities in 14 countries. Metaldyne is an indirectly wholly owned subsidiary of Asahi Tec Corporation, a Shizuoka, Japan-based company listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

"As we reviewed our products and operations and their opportunity for growth, we found that some products and operations are no longer core and better suited for other suppliers," Thomas A. Amato, chairman and CEO of Metaldyne and co-CEO of Asahi Tec, said in a press release. "We continue to review all our products and proactively take action if necessary."

Since January, Metaldyne had closed facilities in Farmington Hills and Plymouth, Mich., and Greenville, N.C.

Metaldyne announced Wednesday that it has been awarded more than $50 million in contracts from multiple automakers to supply powder-metal-forged connecting rods for 4- and 6-cylinder engines used globally in 2009 and 2010 cars, crossover vehicles and minivans.

High Pressure Aluminum Die Casting