On Friday, Wyomissing, Pennsylvania-based Carpenter Technology Corporation announced plans to relocate its Carpenter Specialty Wire Products (CSWP) business from Orangeburg, South Carolina to an advanced precision wire manufacturing facility in Wauseon, Ohio. Carpenter acquired the Wauseon plant as part of its acquisition of Latrobe Specialty Metals earlier this year.
"The decision to exit CSWP was strategic and is based on our philosophy to consolidate operations in order to maximize efficiency," said William A. Wulfsohn, President and CEO of Carpenter Technology. "The consolidation is expected to reduce operating costs - and, along with future investments, allow for additional growth of premium precision wire products."
The Wauseon plant, which is used to manufacture precision stainless steel wire and other highly engineered steel wires, recently underwent a $3 million expansion highlighted by the addition of technologically advanced hydrogen atmosphere furnaces.
The transition will take place over the next 12 to 15 months. After the move, the Orangeburg facility will be closed. The Orangeburg facility has been owned by Carpenter since 1984 when it was purchased from AMAX Specialty Metal Corp.
This is Carpenter's third announcement this past week. On August 30, Carpenter said that it will construct a bar finishing facility in China to meet increased customer demand in Asia, and a few days earlier Carpenter announced it would be selling Latrobe Specialty Steel Distribution (LSSD) and its Mexican distribution business, Aceros Fortuna.