Gasket and Bolt Supplier to Close Houston Facility, Cut jobs

Lamons Gasket Co. recently told the Texas Workforce Commission it is closing a plant in northeast Houston.The company began closing its South Texas Bolt facility on Aug. 24, according to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act letter Lamons sent the TWC the same day.

The entire plant will close, and the company will cut 77 jobs on or within the two-week period beginning Oct. 23.There's no union involved with the plant, and employees do not have bumping rights, meaning employees with more seniority whose jobs are eliminated cannot take the jobs of less-senior employees.

Lamons, which is a brand of Michigan-based diversified manufacturing company TriMas Corp., is a gasket and bolt supplier that serves the refining, chemical, power generation, and petrochemical industries. The South Texas Bolt facility produces bolts, fasteners and specialty products for the oilfield and industrial markets.

"As the company evaluates and develops growth plans for this business, it has become convinced that changes are necessary to enhance its competitiveness," TriMas spokeswoman Christine Parker said. "The company plans to relocate manufacturing operations to the Lamons facilities in Houston and Reynosa, Mexico."

Lamons has several locations across 11 states, including three others in the Texas Gulf Coast region. It also has several locations across eight other countries.