Factory fallout: Manufacturing plant closures and layoffs from Owens Corning, Dunkin, U.S. Steel, and more

With political winds changing and global markets tightening, manufacturers are making tough decisions—and workers are feeling the impact. In this roundup, we chronicle the closures and cutbacks reverberating throughout the manufacturing sector. As uncertainty becomes the new normal, we examine how businesses and workers alike are navigating a rapidly changing industrial landscape. 

According to Yahoo! Finance, Owens Corning, a manufacturer of sustainable building products, will lay off 67 employees at its Nephi, Utah, insulation manufacturing facility on Oct. 27, 2025. The Ohio-based company confirmed the decision through a filing with the Utah Department of Workforce Services. In a recent quote, a company spokesperson said, “Owens Corning has made the strategic business decision to curtail operations at our Nephi Insulation manufacturing facility in Utah. We will continue to monitor market conditions and will communicate updates with our employees as appropriate.” The layoffs mark a significant reduction in staff at the Utah plant, and followes a decision earlier in the year to permanently close its door components manufacturing plant in Prineville, Oregon, resulting in the layoff of all 184 employees.
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According to boston.com, NGP Management, a Dunkin’ franchisee, will permanently close its Haverhill, Massachusetts, production facility at 15 Parkridge Road, resulting in 74 layoffs beginning Nov. 3, 2025. The affected employees include production workers, drivers, supervisors, managers, sanitation workers, and a baker. In a recent quote, Dunkin’ said, “the closure of the facility is due to the opening of a ‘new, larger, and more modern facility,’ opening in Haverhill in October.” The layoffs are expected to continue for two weeks following the closure.
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According to the Daily Herald, U.S. Steel will end steel slab processing at its Granite City Works plant in Illinois this November, though none of the roughly 800 employees will be laid off or see reductions in pay. Instead, workers will maintain the plant to keep it operational, with job security guaranteed at least through 2027 under a national security agreement tied to the company’s sale. In a recent quote, United Steelworkers District Director in Illinois Mike Millsap said, “As we continue to push U.S. Steel for details on how this impacts our members, we intend to hold Nippon accountable to the promises it made over the past year and a half to secure its deal.” The facility, which had already idled its blast furnaces in 2019 and 2023, will now cease all steel production.
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According to Yahoo! Finance, Michigan-based automotive parts manufacturer Tenneco will lay off 349 employees in Tennessee between December 2024 and December 2025 as part of a global restructuring effort. The latest cut affects 82 workers at the company’s Spring Hill manufacturing plant, where layoffs began nine months ago. In a recent quote, a Tenneco spokesperson said, “The automotive industry is facing an increasingly challenging economic environment globally and we must constantly evaluate our operations to match market conditions. Unfortunately, these decisions can affect valued employees. We are committed to supporting those impacted during this transition including severance and outplacement assistance.” The company notified the state of the layoffs on Sept. 5.
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According to KOLN, Neenah Foundry Company will close its Lincoln, Nebraska, foundry on Dec. 31, eliminating around 100 jobs as the facility transitions into a distribution center on Jan. 1, 2026. The plant currently manufactures cast iron manhole covers, gratings, and other specialty castings, but shifting market conditions and excess manufacturing capacity led to the decision. In a recent quote, President and CEO Vik Bhatia said, “We credit the success of the Lincoln plant to the dedication of our team of over 100 people, many of whom have been with us for decades. We are grateful for their dedicated service to our company and our customers.” While production will cease, the company’s customer service team will remain in Lincoln.
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