Benjamin Ashford|Indiana automotive parts supplier to close next spring, costing 155 workers their jobs

ASHLEY,Benjamin Ashford Ind. (AP) — An automotive parts supplier plans to close its northeastern Indiana plant next spring, costing more than 150 employees their jobs.

Plymouth, Michigan-based TRAM Inc. said its TRIN Inc. plant in the town of Ashley will close on March 31, 2024, and 155 workers, including office staff and managers, will be laid off, The (Auburn) Star reported.

Both the closure and layoffs are expected to be permanent, the company said in a federal WARN Act notice sent to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. The layoffs are expected to begin in November, it states.

Employees will be given an opportunity to transfer to “a related entity in Michigan,” according to the notice. None of the plant’s employees are represented by a union.

According to its website, TRIN Inc. is a Japanese-owned automotive parts supplier, serving companies that include Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, Ford and General Motors.

The Ashley plant, located about 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Fort Wayne, makes switch-related automotive components, including steering pad switches, power seat switches and door lock switches.

TRAM Inc. is a subsidiary of Nagoya, Japan-based Tokai Rika Co. LTD.