'They've been doing everything they can': Tecumseh manufacturing facility closing next month

Cottam Diecasting LTD. in Tecumseh is shutting down in August, impacting 58 workers, according to their union.

Unifor Local 444 President James Stewart said the union received notice from the company indicating the plant is closing in mid-August.

"They've had hard times over the last couple of years," Stewart said.

Workers at the facility manufacture precision-machined zinc and aluminum diecast goods for the automotive, industrial, military and marine sectors.

"They build small boat parts, not engine parts, but small boat parts and fishing equipment," Stewart explained. "It's a casting facility that's quite old. It was family owned until four, five or six years ago and they've been taken over by a conglomerate from down south, but they've maintained the Cottam Diecast name, et cetera."

Stewart said union representatives met with the company on Wednesday and have more meetings planned to discuss the pending closure and about what can be done for staff, noting there are imminent plans to also meet with the unionized members.

"We had a productive meeting yesterday in the way that they were very open with the information they gave us," Stewart said. "Now, we're waiting on another response from them so that we can set up meetings with our members and talk to them."

Cottam Diecasting Ltd. exterior in Tecumseh, Ont. on July 11, 2024. (Chris Campbell/CTV News Windsor)

"Obviously they're anxious. They're wondering what tomorrow holds for them. Some of the workers have been working for this company for 30 years. And there's another bunch that are relatively new in the grand scheme of things."

"Realistically, they've had problems for quite a while trying to be profitable," Stewart continued. "The renewal of the lease is one of the issues that they've identified to us. It's increased at least three fold from what I understand and the way it sits, they've told us that there's no way to remain viable moving forward."

"I think if you talk to some of the workers, the writing was on the wall, but they all know that they've been doing everything they can to turn the company around and be viable," Stewart told CTV News. "I think the straw that potentially broke the camel's back is the lease."

"In order to be viable moving forward, they would need a massive investment of new machinery. Say if they wanted to get into auto manufacturing and you've got specs, that have to be very, very exact. It would take some extreme investment in that facility."

The facility is located at 11886 County Road 42 in Tecumseh.

- With files from AM800 News