Kaiser Aluminum cuts 56 jobs, schedules furlough

Kaiser Aluminum is cutting back again at its Bellwood plant in Chesterfield County, eliminating 56 of about 125 jobs and closing the plant temporarily in July.

The temporary shutdown of the facility, which produces drive shaft tubes for automotive customers and seamless tubes for service centers, comes in response to planned shutdowns in the automotive industry, a Kaiser spokesman said.

Kaiser also announced yesterday that the Bellwood plant will stop manufacturing rod and bar products. The actions are expected to be completed early in the third quarter of the year.

The Foothill Ranch, Calif.-based company said it expects to take a $5 million charge against before-tax earnings in the second quarter as a result of the changes, related primarily to employee benefits and asset impairment charges.

Yesterday's announcement comes on the heels of Kaiser's decision in December to lay off 125 employees at the Bellwood facility.

"I think many companies are struggling in this economy. They are taking steps to try to get through it and still survive until things improve," said Karen Aylward, development manager for existing businesses at Chesterfield Economic Development. "It certainly impacts the community."

-- Katherine Calos