MasterBrand Cabinets' upcoming Mexican facility won't replace closed Alabama plant
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REYNOSA, Mexico - Cabinetmaking giant MasterBrand Cabinets will open a new manufacturing facility in Mexico. The news comes a month and a half after MasterBrand suddenly shuttered its facility in Auburn, Alabama, leaving 445 unemployed.
 
"I am pleased to announce that the Retail Kitchen and Bath Group is aligning its capacity to meet future business growth, and will be opening a new facility this September in Reynosa, Mexico," MasterBrand president Dave Randich said in a memo to employees.
 
MasterBrand said the facility will bring several key benefits to the company, including increased flexibility to add capacity, easy access to international bridges, administrative talent, and a large labor force. Randich said the new facility will be a critical piece in supporting the growing home center in-stock business.
 
MasterBrand PR director Emily Small told Opelika-Auburn News that the Mexican facility has no relation to the closing of the Auburn facility.
 
“The Auburn facility was manufacturing products for our semi-custom product line,” Small told OANews. “The Reynosa facility is focusing on what we would call our entry-level and stock product. It is located currently with a couple other facilities we have right there in that same region, all within a very short distance apart from one another.”
 
She said the Auburn plant closed because of a shifted market.
 
MasterBrand closed its Auburn plant unexpectedly mid-June. Employees found out about the closing the morning of.
 
Employees received a severance package that pays through August 24. Surrounding local companies, including Wellborn Cabinet and Tru Cabinetry, hired many of the displaced workers.
 
Based in Jasper, Indiana, MasterBrand Cabinets is part of Fortune Brands Home & Security (NYSE: FBHS). MasterBrand is the largest North American cabinet manufacturer, and is ranked #4 overall on the FDMC 300 list of top North American wood products manufacturers.

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Robert Dalheim

Robert Dalheim is an editor at the Woodworking Network. Along with publishing online news articles, he writes feature stories for the FDMC print publication. He can be reached at [email protected].