GAF To Close Minneapolis Plant, Lay Off 120 Workers

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Building Materials Manufacturing, LLC, which operates under the name "GAF," has notified state officials that it will permanently close its Minneapolis facility this spring, resulting in the layoff of 120 workers.

According to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) letter submitted to the State Rapid Response Team, the company plans to fully shut down operations at its plant at 50 Lowry Ave. N. on April 4. Employees at the site are expected to be permanently laid off on that date.

Hourly workers at the facility are represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Local 970 and the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers Local 939.

A GAF spokesperson provided the following statement to Patch in an email:

To best position GAF for continued long-term growth, we are strategically investing in the manufacturing sites that have the most significant advantages in scale and capability to meet our customers’ needs. As part of this effort, we have made the difficult decision to permanently cease production at our Minneapolis facility, effective immediately, and begin the decommissioning process to close the plant. We are grateful to our employees for their contributions to the business and are committed to assisting those impacted through this transition.

We will continue to serve customers in the region without interruption from our other facilities and deliver the best-in-class solutions that GAF is known for.

The WARN notice states that bumping rights will be available only to Teamsters-represented employees for covered positions at GAF’s Maple Grove warehouse. Bumping rights will not apply to other affected workers.

The closure is expected to impact a wide range of positions, including mechanics, engineers, production operators, maintenance staff, logistics planners, supervisors, and management roles. Job titles listed in the WARN notice include mechanic, asphalt process engineer, machine tender, maintenance technician, production planner, plant manager, logistics planner, and shipping and receiving lead, among dozens of others.

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s State Rapid Response Team has been notified of the closure and will coordinate response efforts. Senior Specialist Liz McLoone is leading the state’s assessment of the layoff event, according to the notice.

WARN notices are required under federal law when employers plan mass layoffs or plant closures, giving workers and local officials advance notice and time to prepare for job transitions, retraining, or reemployment services.