Conn-Selmer Inc., an Elkhart, Ind.-based subsidiary of Waltham, Mass.-based Steinway Musical Instruments Inc., announced that it will close its brass manufacturing operations plant in Elkhorn in two months. About 70 people work at the plant, where French horns are manufactured. The work at the Elkhorn plant will be transferred to the company’s facilities in Eastlake, Ohio.
"Our Eastlake facility is well-known for its production of French horns and other brass instruments," said John Stoner, president of Conn-Selmer. "We have sufficient inventory to meet customer needs during the transition of production, which we expect to be completed over the next two months."
Severance packages will be offered to the Elkhorn workers, and some will be offered jobs at the Ohio plant, a spokesperson for the company said. The company said it will incur charges of $1.3 to $1.7 million in connection with the plant closure.
"Consolidating similar manufacturing operations in order to increase production is an integral part of our manufacturing strategy," said Dana Messina, chief executive officer of Steinway Musical Instruments. "While this was a difficult decision, this consolidation will allow us to increase our efficiency and compete more effectively."
