Yanfeng to close Missouri plant, lay off 444 workers, as GM ends Malibu production

Chinese supplier Yanfeng in November will close its factory in Riverside, Mo., around the same time General Motors plans to end Chevrolet Malibu production at a nearby assembly plant, according to a job reduction notice posted Sept. 16

Yanfeng will permanently close the plant within two weeks of Nov. 15, according to the notice provided by the supplier to the state of Missouri and the city of Riverside. The closure will result in what the notice said were "permanent" layoffs for 444 employees, including 398 members of UAW Local 710.

A spokesperson for Yanfeng could not be reached. Requests for comment from UAW local leadership and a spokesperson for the UAW's Detroit headquarters were not immediately returned.

Yanfeng, a maker of seats, electronics and automotive interior products, provides components for GM's Fairfax Assembly plant in Kansas City, Kan. The closure is slated for around the same time GM plans to end production of the Malibu there in November.

The end of Malibu production comes as GM plans to retool the plant in 2025 to produce the next-generation Chevrolet Bolt EV alongside assembly of the gasoline-powered Cadillac XT4 crossover. GM will pause XT4 production in January to allow for tooling and other plant modifications as part of a $391-million investment plan.

News of the Yanfeng job reduction comes about 16 months after workers at the Riverside factory voted to join the UAW, making it the sixth Yanfeng facility to organize with the UAW. Workers said they organized to address issues relating to low pay, understaffed shifts, a lack of seniority rights and alleged discrimination against workers of color.

Yanfeng, of Shanghai, ranks No. 16 on Automotive News' list of the top 100 global suppliers, with worldwide parts sales to automakers of $15.51 billion in 2023.

Kurt Nagl of Crain's Detroit Business contributed to this report.