ThyssenKrupp Budd (Troy, Michigan / USA; www.buddcompany.com), which belongs to the automotive division of German steel producergiant ThyssenKrupp, is to sell four plastics production facilities to Continental Structural Plastics (CSP, Bingham Farms, Michigan / USA; www.cspplastics.com). No details were released of the purchase price.

The facilities at Carey and North Baltimore, Ohio / USA and Tijuana / Mexico manufacture SMC parts for the automotive industry, while the plant at Van Wert, Ohio produces SMC raw materials for captive use and for external customers. The total workforce in this sector is 1,120. The sale is linked to the previously announced restructuring project in North America, the company said.

With more than 400 employees, Continental Structural Plastics – since 2005 majority owned by Richard L. Scott Investments (RLSI, Naples, Florida / USA) – manufactures structural plastic components such as bumper supports, oil sumps and underbody shields at three production plants in Petoskey, (Michigan), Sarepta, (Louisiana), and Conneaut, (Ohio). The company is regarded as a specialist for GMT and LFT parts and claims to be the largest North America converter in this field. Following this new acquisition, it will also produce Class A parts for automotive outer skin applications.