GRANT, Ala. (WHNT) — Officials confirm the Kennametal plant in Grant will close later this year.
The announcement was made to employees Wednesday morning.
Randy Ray is one of the roughly 93 employees at the Grant facility. He has worked there for four years and learned of the shutdown in a special meeting.
“It’s just a sign of what’s happening with big business these days in my opinion and there’s nothing else we can do, but just try to fight through it,” he said.
Cuts are expected to start in late March with the plant officially its doors in September.
“We announced to employees today that we will relocate operations currently based in Grant, Alabama to other facilities in North America to adapt our manufacturing and supply chain footprint with customers’ needs and ensure the right capacity, products and services to grow profitably,” a company representative said in a statement. “We realize this decision adversely affects our Grant, AL employees. As always, we will act in good faith, with utmost respect and consideration to assist them in the transition, including benefits and outplacement services.”
Kennametal is a supplier of tooling and industrial materials. It bought the Tungsten Materials Business from Allegheny Technical Industries (ATI) in November 2013. The acquisition included the Grant location, as well as facilities in Huntsville, Madison and Gurley.
Officials said no other locations throughout the state will be affected by the closing.
Marshall County officials say Kennametal had been the largest employer in Grant.