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Germany-based Freudenberg Filtration Technologies has announced plans to close its facility in La Porte, affecting 173 employees.
In a notice to the state, the company said it is relocating operations to its new facility in Lebanon, which is slated to open later this year.
Freudenberg, which has its U.S. headquarters in Plymouth, Michigan, near Detroit, manufactures residential filtration products at 229 Factory St. in La Porte, and those same products will be made at the Lebanon facility.
The company filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the Indiana Department of Workforce Development, saying the move is part of a strategic planning process.
The layoffs are expected to begin on Dec. 5 and all positions at the facility will be impacted. However, Freudenberg spokesperson Stephanie Thiede tells Inside INdiana Business it is working to assist the affected workers.
“Our human resources team is actively supporting employees through this transition,” Thiede said, “offering among other things relocation opportunities to our new Lebanon, Indiana, facility, transition support, access to Employee Assistance Program services and onsite career support through Indiana’s WorkOne.”
The new Lebanon facility is located at 3150 Couden Drive, and Thiede says production is expected to begin before the end of 2025. The company anticipates having up to 150 workers at the plant.
“The new facility offers enhanced automation, improved inventory systems, expanded dock space and scalable infrastructure to support future growth,” she said. “As we continue to strive to meet our customer’s needs, we anticipate future growth and increased employment opportunities over time.”
Freudenberg did not state whether the workers at the La Porte facility are represented by a union.
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