American Standard Closing N.J. Plant

American Standard Cos. is closing its Hamilton Township, N.J., plant as part of its plan announced last month to consolidate and streamline its operations. The Piscataway-based company said recently that it would cease operations at the 75-year-old plant by the end of the year. The closing will be done in phases, with most work being completed by June. The plant manufactures toilets, bidets, lavatories and basins. About half of its operations will be moved to the company's facility in Tiffin, Ohio, and the remainder will go to plants in Mexico City and Costa Rica, according to Shelly London, vice president of communications.

The plant has 274 employees, including 245 who are members of the Glass Molders, Pottery, Plastics & Allied Workers International union. Company and union officials plan to meet soon to discuss severance packages and other issues related to the closing, including the possibility of relocating some workers to other facilities. Laurie Breininger, the company's vice president of plumbing products- Americas, said the plant was being shut down "because it's one of our oldest and smallest plants, operating at only half capacity." The company had announced Dec. 28 that it planned to close an unidentified plant as part of a consolidation plan that includes cutting 1,200 jobs.

For additional information, visit http://www.americanstandard.com .

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