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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAuto parts maker Meridian Automotive Systems Inc. told the state yesterday it plans to eliminate 198 jobs at its Shelbyville plant by the end of August.
The Allen Park, Mich.-based company already has executed the bulk of the reductions – letting go 153 employees on June 1. Meridian notified the Indiana Department of Workforce Development it will eliminate eight more employees on June 15 and the remaining 37 by Aug. 31.
Meridian, which manufactures plastic panels for the automotive industry, said the loss of a “significant” amount of business from a “major” customer caused the job cuts. One of the company’s biggest clients is Chrysler LCC.
More than 100 employees remain at the plant, according to the Shelbyville News. As recently as 2006, the company had 370 employees there.
Meridian has a strong but shrinking presence in Indiana. In January, the company closed its Huntington plant and eliminated 186 jobs. Besides Shelbyville, the company still operates facilities in Angola and Rushville.
Auto parts suppliers have taken a beating as automakers cut production to contend with declining sales.
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