Employees at the St. Thomas auto parts plant Unimotor were informed this week that production will be reduced at their location and some operations will be transferred to Mexico, leading to an unspecified number of layoffs.
In a statement, New York-based Standard Motor Products (SMP) clarified that the decision was not influenced by U. S. tariffs but was instead driven by “ongoing global competitiveness” and market challenges.
The company noted that Unimotor focuses on auto temperature control motors and will shift some of its production capabilities to an SMP facility in Reynosa, Mexico “within the next 18 months.”
The facility spans 40,000 square feet and currently employs at least 90 people; “of which a portion of these will be affected in the relocation,” the company mentioned.
“However, we are still assessing the manpower requirements post-move at the facility, and the information in this letter is based on our best available assessment at this time.”
SMP described the decision as difficult and “not without significant consideration.”
As per SMP’s website, the Unimotor plant produces blower motors, cooling fan motors, brushless motors, and condenser fan motors for both the auto aftermarket as well as heavy equipment and military sectors.
“All affected staff will receive a severance package that includes continued health care coverage and outplacement services,” stated the company.
The St. Thomas plant has been operational since 1995, making it one of SMP’s 19 manufacturing locations worldwide; it is also their sole operation in Canada.
According to filings with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission, SMP revealed in 2022 its plans to cut jobs while relocating certain product lines from its facilities in St. Thomas and Kansas to Mexico.
“In 2025, we extended the program for plans to relocate additional product lines from certain plants in the United States and Canada to our existing manufacturing facilities in Mexico,” they noted in their latest quarterly report filed in August.
“We anticipate that the Cost Reduction Initiative will be substantially complete by the end of 2026. Additional restructuring costs related to the initiative are expected to be immaterial. The total restructuring expenses recorded to date are $7.1 million.”
This move represents another setback for local auto manufacturing.
Earlier this year, Autoneum from Switzerland announced it would shut down its London plant by year’s end, affecting 136 employees. They stated they were consolidating operations into their Tillsonburg facility while looking into transferring workers from London.
This came after last fall’s closure of Magna-owned Qualtech Seating Systems in London which impacted nearly 50 workers; this plant had supplied GM’s CAMI Assembly in Ingersoll which has been inactive since May 2025.
Last month, Power Co disclosed that production at its large gigafactory would now start two years later than originally planned due to adjustments needed for next-generation battery technology while maintaining flexibility as market conditions change.
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