International Motors will eliminate 1,341 jobs at two manufacturing facilities in Springfield, Ohio, following the sale of the operations to Canadian defense and commercial vehicle manufacturer Roshel, according to FreightWaves.
The Lisle, Illinois-based truck manufacturer has signed an asset purchase agreement under which Roshel will acquire the operating assets of the Springfield Assembly Plant (SAP) and the Truck Specialty Center (TSC), FreightWaves reported. Roshel plans to convert the facilities into a U.S.-based production hub for commercial, specialty and armored vehicles.
Sale timeline and contract expiration
The sale is expected to close Oct. 2, according to a WARN notice filed with the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. International said virtually all employees at SAP and TSC will be terminated effective that date, except for certain employees on approved leaves of absence.
FreightWaves reported that the Springfield complex has long served as an International truck assembly plant, but in recent years has been used primarily for contract manufacturing under an agreement with a major automotive company. That contract is scheduled to expire Sept. 30, 2026, prompting International to seek a buyer for the operation.
"With the end of our contract manufacturing agreement, we have been working diligently to find a suitable path for the Springfield Assembly Plant," Samara Strycker, International's executive vice president and chief financial officer, said in announcing the transaction, according to FreightWaves.
Workforce and union representation
The layoffs will affect approximately 1,314 employees at the Springfield Assembly Plant and 27 workers at the Truck Specialty Center, for a total of 1,341 employees, FreightWaves reported. Of those, about 1,137 assembly plant workers and 21 Truck Specialty Center employees are represented by the United Auto Workers (UAW) through Locals 402 and 658.
| Facility | Employees affected | UAW-represented employees |
|---|---|---|
| Springfield Assembly Plant | 1,314 | 1,137 |
| Truck Specialty Center | 27 | 21 |
| Total | 1,341 | 1,158 |
Facility and production assets
The Springfield manufacturing campus spans more than 2 million square feet on roughly 500 acres and includes a full vehicle assembly line and paint facility, according to FreightWaves. The asset purchase agreement covers the operating assets of both the Springfield Assembly Plant and the Truck Specialty Center, giving Roshel access to the site's existing vehicle assembly infrastructure.
Roshel's production plans
Roshel said it plans to use the site's manufacturing capabilities to expand production of commercial, specialty and armored vehicles built on chassis supplied by multiple original equipment manufacturers, FreightWaves reported. The company has not publicly discussed when it will begin operations in Springfield or whether International employees will be given hiring preferences.
International Motors footprint
International Motors employs around 14,500 people worldwide, according to FreightWaves. The company's distribution network includes about 1,000 dealer outlets across the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and Mexico, and over 60 dealers in 90 other countries. The network includes:
- Approximately 1,000 dealer outlets in the U.S., Canada, Brazil, and Mexico
- Over 60 dealers in 90 other countries
Why it matters
The conversion of International's Springfield operations into a defense and specialty vehicle manufacturing hub illustrates how North American manufacturing assets are being repurposed to serve evolving commercial and defense markets, even as more than 1,300 workers are displaced during the transition, according to FreightWaves. For manufacturing executives and procurement teams, the transaction transfers a two-million-square-foot assembly campus to a new owner while replacing the entire production workforce. Roshel has yet to announce a hiring or production timeline, leaving the future of the plant's union workforce uncertain.
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