Auto supplier to lay off 345 at Highland Park plant

Auto supplier Yanfeng Automotive Interiors will start the new year with layoffs at its Highland Park plant.

A notice sent to the Michigan Workforce Development Agency last week indicates that the auto interiors supplier will permanently eliminate a total of 345 positions, including 20 salaried positions, 207 hourly union positions and 118 third-party contract positions. The layoffs, beginning Jan. 30 and continuing through March, are prompted by a loss of business, the letter states.

The affected union workers are represented by the United Automobile Workers. The letter says Yanfeng negotiated a plant reduction agreement with Local 400 earlier this year.

A spokeswoman from Yanfeng did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Yanfeng is a supplier of instrument panels and cockpit systems, door panels, floor consoles, overhead consoles, lighting and decorative trim. The company is relatively new, formed in 2015 as a joint venture between Yanfeng Automotive Trim Systems Co. Ltd. and Adient, a supplier of automotive seats.

The supplier built a new technical center and moved its southeast Michigan headquarters from Plymouth to Novi earlier this year — an $8.45 million investment.

NNaughton@detroitnews.com