Hirschfeld Industries, one of North America's leading structural steel fabricators, has announced that it will close its steel bridge and girder plant in Grand Junction, Colorado, laying off 100 employees.
Hirschfeld's CEO, Dennis Hirschfeld, explained in a news release that the plant's closing would allow the firm to streamline its manufacturing operations and optimize its steel bridge fabrication activities. Furthermore, Hirschfeld explained that market demand for specialty tub girders, which are used in constructing bridges, was narrow in 2008 and further shrank in 2009.
The firm gave the United Steelworkers of America last week the required 60-day notice of closure. Grand Junction Steel, a steel bridge and specialty girder manufacturing facility, is the sole steel bridge fabrication plant that Hirschfeld will be closing. Hirschfeld's plants are located in Virginia, North Carolina, Alabama and Texas. Grand Junction Steel was founded back in 1947 and purchased by San Angelo, Texas-based Hirschfeld two years ago.