By Jessica Holdman
NORTH CHARLESTON — More than 460 South Carolinians will be out of work this spring as a Charleston-area truck parts manufacturer shutters.
Mahle Behr, headquartered in Germany, announced it would close its plant at 4500 Leeds Avenue and begin laying off all of its workers April 12, according to a company filing with the state Department of Employment and Workforce.
The company did not immediately respond to messages left by the S.C. Daily Gazette.
The manufacturer makes parts for air conditioners and radiators used in large commercial trucks.
Mahle, one of the world’s largest automotive suppliers, has struggled financially the last couple years, posting major losses in 2021 and 2022. The company employs about 72,000 people worldwide.
In 2018, the company celebrated an expansion of its North Charleston location but has since fallen on hard times, citing cost increases for utilities, materials and labor.
Jessica Holdman writes about the economy, workforce and higher education. Before joining the S.C. Daily Gazette, she was a business reporter for The Post and Courier.
