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Mass layoffs at Ohio truck factory days before Trump rally

Mass layoffs at Ohio truck factory days before Trump rally

Money Moves

Roshel owns the Springfield plant but has not set a restart date; laid-off workers are still waiting for jobs.

November 2nd, 2026: Roshel reported as new owner of Springfield plant

Overview

Updated Oct 21

Roshel now owns the former Navistar truck plant in Springfield, Ohio, where nearly 1,400 workers lost their jobs on Sept. 30. The Canadian armored-vehicle maker has not announced when production will restart or how many people it will hire.

The layoffs wiped out roughly a year of job growth in the Dayton area, according to federal data cited in late October. The closure became a campaign issue before the Nov. 3 election, and some laid-off workers spent weeks canvassing for Democrats.

Why it matters

The Springfield layoffs test whether Ohio's working-class voters stick with Republicans when factory jobs disappear.

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Key Indicators

≈1,400
Workers laid off at Springfield plant
Nearly 1,400 lost jobs on Sept. 30; the state WARN notice lists 1,341, including 27 at the truck specialty center.
45,000
Factory jobs shed in Dayton area since 1990
The Dayton area has lost about half of its 90,000 factory jobs since 1990.
8,596
Ohio jobless claims, week ending Oct. 10
Up from 4,709 the prior week, as Springfield layoffs reached state books; national claims barely moved.
$2.2B
Bayer drug plant investment near Columbus
Announced before the layoffs, cited by Trump as evidence his policies create jobs.
29,000
US jobs added in September
Unemployment held at 4.2 percent; manufacturing added 9,000 jobs nationally in the same month.
10,000
Peak jobs at Springfield plant
The plant had about 10,000 jobs at its peak before employment fell over decades.
6-12
Months workers hope to wait for rehire
Laid-off workers hope Roshel will rehire them within six to 12 months; the company has not committed to a date.

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People Involved

KB
Kyle Bos
Laid-off worker, United Auto Workers member
Laid off from Navistar plant; canvassing for Democrats
MD
Marianne Donnelly
Laid-off forklift driver
Laid off; expects rehiring in six to 12 months by Roshel
 Donald Trump
Donald Trump
President of the United States
Held rally near Springfield three days after the layoffs
MH
Morgan Hughes
Union worker and Democratic canvasser
Canvassing Kettering union members for Democrats

Organizations Involved

International Motors
International Motors
Commercial vehicle manufacturer
Ended operations at its two Springfield sites and sold them to Roshel.

Former owner of the Springfield plant; sold the sites to Roshel.
Roshel
Roshel
Armored vehicle manufacturer
New owner of the Springfield sites; no restart date or headcount announced.

Canadian maker of armored vehicles that bought the Springfield Assembly Plant and Truck Specialty Center.
UA
United Auto Workers Local 402
Labor union local
Represents many laid-off Springfield workers

The UAW local representing workers at the Springfield Navistar plant.

Timeline

1966 November 2026

9 events Latest: November 2nd, 2026 · 1 week ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Roshel reported as new owner of Springfield plant

    Latest Economic

    Estonian broadcaster ERR reported that the plant already has a new owner, Canadian armored-vehicle maker Roshel, but that resuming production may take several years.

  2. Layoffs erase a year of Dayton job growth

    Economic

    The Springfield layoffs were large enough to wipe out roughly a year of job growth in the greater Dayton area, according to federal data cited by Central Bulletin. The report also said the Dayton area has lost about half its 90,000 factory jobs since 1990.

  3. Springfield economy hit as Haitian residents face deportation

    Social

    The Washington Post reported that Haitian immigrants in Springfield are staying home or leaving after the administration canceled their temporary protected status, costing the city jobs and business.

  4. Ohio jobless claims nearly double as Springfield layoffs land

    Economic

    Ohio initial claims rose to 8,596 from 4,709 for the week ending Oct. 10, while national seasonally adjusted claims stayed at 199,000. The Labor Department's state table does not sort claims by employer.

  5. Reuters: Ohio working-class voters reconsider Trump

    Political

    Reporting from Warren, Ohio, found Democrats and labor leaders courting union and blue-collar voters ahead of the Nov. 3 election, citing prices and concerns about Trump's rhetoric.

  6. Trump rally follows layoffs; AP reports fallout

    Political

    Trump holds a rally at a nearby high school as the AP reports the layoffs and workers' plans to back Democrats.

  7. International Motors' Springfield operations end as sale to Roshel is set to close

    Economic

    The company told Ohio officials in a July 27 letter it expected to sell the assembly plant and truck specialty center on Oct. 2 and terminate virtually all employees, about 1,314 and 27 respectively, most represented by UAW Locals 402 and 658.

  8. Mass layoffs at Navistar truck plant

    Economic

    Nearly 1,400 workers lose jobs as International Motors prepares to sell the facility to Roshel.

  9. Springfield Assembly Plant opens

    Context

    Factory opens in Springfield, Ohio, becoming a major truck-building employer.

Scenarios

1

Roshel reopens Springfield plant, hires back workers

Possible Resolves by Oct 1, 2027

Discussed by: Laid-off workers quoted by the AP; Roshel's public statements

If the sale to Roshel closes and the Canadian armored vehicle maker ramps up production, workers like Marianne Donnelly expect to be rehired within six to 12 months. Roshel says it plans to more than double the workforce in phases. Such an outcome would blunt the political fallout in the Dayton area.

2

Brown retakes Ohio Senate seat after plant closure

Deadline passed (Nov 3, 2026)

Discussed by: Democrats and UAW canvassers quoted by the AP; polls showing a close race

If the layoffs swing working-class voters and inflation concerns hold, former senator Sherrod Brown could beat Republican Jon Husted. UAW canvassers say inflation and the economy make it easier to move voters. Polls show the race is close.

3

Husted holds Ohio Senate seat despite layoffs

Deadline passed (Nov 3, 2026)

Discussed by: Republicans; White House pointing to other Ohio investments

Trump is framing the layoffs as one event against a wave of investment: the $850 million Electra aerospace project, a Stellantis project, and Bayer's $2.2 billion drug plant near Columbus. Ohio has backed Trump in three straight elections, including by double digits in 2024. If the broader economy message holds, Husted and Republican House candidates keep their seats.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

March 2019

Lordstown GM plant closure (2019)

General Motors idled its assembly plant in Lordstown, Ohio, roughly 150 miles from Springfield, a blow to a region already battered by job losses. Trump had promised to revive Ohio manufacturing and pressed GM to reopen the plant.

Then

The plant sat idle before GM sold it to electric truck startup Lordstown Motors, which later filed for bankruptcy.

Now

The closure became a symbol of broken factory-job promises in Ohio and a recurring campaign theme.

Why this matters now

Like Springfield, a high-profile Ohio factory closure raised the question of whether political promises can reverse manufacturing decline.

November 2016

2016 presidential election (2016)

Trump won Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin on pledges to restore factory jobs. Ohio had backed Barack Obama in 2008 and 2012, then swung hard to Trump.

Then

Trump carried Ohio by about 8 points, launching a rightward shift that continued through his 2024 win by double digits.

Now

The coalition helped Trump win the White House and made Ohio a reliably red state; Republicans already controlled the House and Senate.

Why this matters now

The 2026 midterm tests whether that coalition holds when factory jobs keep disappearing, the exact dynamic now playing out in Springfield.

Sources

(16)
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ABC News Los Angeles Times Newsweek Fortune ClickOnDetroit (AP) CBS News Boston Globe Lemmy.World The Eastern Herald Ohio CPA Society Cincinnati Enquirer Reuters (via Investing.com) The Washington Post AP News Central Bulletin Rīga TV