LAKE FOREST, Ill. — Tenneco Inc. announced today it will close its original equipment (OE) ride control plants in Owen Sound, Ontario and Hartwell, Georgia as part of an initiative to realign its manufacturing footprint to enhance operational efficiency and respond to changing market conditions and capacity requirements.

The company expects to begin transferring current customer business primarily to its ride control facility in Kettering, Ohio, later this year. Tenneco expects to complete the closure of the two facilities near the end of the second quarter of 2020.

“Today’s actions to realign our North American ride control operations will strengthen our long-term competitiveness in this critically important region,” said Brian Kesseler, Tenneco co-CEO. “We recognize the impact this action will have on our employees, and are working with the local communities to provide transition assistance for all affected employees, including opportunities to transfer to other Tenneco locations.”

The Tenneco restructuring will generate between $20 million and $25 million in annualized savings beginning by the end of 2020. Restructuring and related charges are expected to be in the range of $70 million and $85 million, with $20 million to $30 million occurring in the fourth quarter of 2018. The charges comprise between $40 million and $50 million of cash expenditures (including severance payments to employees, the cost of decommissioning and starting up equipment, and other costs associated with this action) and between $30 million and $35 million of non-cash asset write-downs and other costs.

About Tenneco

Headquartered in Lake Forest, Illinois, Tenneco is one of the world’s leading designers, manufacturers and marketers of Ride Performance and Clean Air products and technology solutions for diversified markets, including light vehicle, commercial truck, off-highway equipment and the aftermarket, with 2017 revenues of $9.3 billion and approximately 32,000 employees worldwide.

On October 1, 2018, Tenneco completed the acquisition of Federal-Mogul LLC, a leading global supplier to original equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket with nearly 55,000 employees globally and 2017 revenues of $7.8 billion. Additionally, the company expects to separate its businesses to form two new, independent companies, an Aftermarket and Ride Performance company as well as a new Powertrain Technology company, in late 2019.

About the Future Aftermarket and Ride Performance Company

Following the separation, the aftermarket and ride performance company will be one of the largest global multi-line, multi-brand aftermarket companies, and one of the largest global OE ride performance and braking companies. The aftermarket and ride performance company’s principal product brands will feature Monroe®, Walker®, Clevite®Elastomers, MOOG®, Fel-Pro®, Wagner®, Champion® and others. The Aftermarket and Ride Performance company would have 2017 pro-forma revenues of $6.4 billion, with 57% of those revenues from aftermarket and 43% from original equipment customers.

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Source: Tenneco

Earlier in The Brake Report: Tenneco buys Federal-Mogul

UPDATE: some reactions

https://twitter.com/acpgeorgian/status/1055814423007379456