Conn Selmer plans to close its Ohio manufacturing plant by June 2026. The company will consolidate its U.S. manufacturing operations in Elkhart, Indiana. It is part of a strategic move to restructure the business and will affect the livelihoods of local workers.
Conn Selmer to Close Ohio Plant, Expand Operations in Elkhart
Conn Selmer, whose brands collectively boast over 750 years in the music industry, has built a reputation for quality band instruments. Its headquarters in Elkhart, Indiana, has been around for over 150 years, where it built band instruments for the U.S. market. To strengthen its operations in Elkhart, the company plans to close its Eastlake, Ohio, plant.
The company announced the closure on its website, citing business restructuring as the reason. If approved, the Eastlake plant will close by June 30, 2026, ending all operations there. Meanwhile, it will continue investing in U.S. facilities as a reflection of its dedication to American manufacturing heritage.
Reason for the Shift
The decision to close the Ohio facility is part of the company’s restructuring plan to consolidate U.S. manufacturing operations. The consolidation aims to boost efficiency and respond to market demand. The company will be consolidating its U.S. manufacturing operations in Elkhart, with some shifting overseas.
The consolidation will streamline operations, centralizing professional brass instrument production in Elkhart. Percussion manufacturing is based in Monroe, North Carolina, which already serves as the brand’s primary U.S. percussion manufacturing hub.
The production of tuba, sousaphone, and student/intermediate French horn will shift overseas. However, the company is still in discussions with the union representing the plant’s hourly workers.
Impact on Community
If the plan to close is finalized, it will affect hundreds of union workers in Eastlake, Ohio. As a long-standing employer in the neighborhood, it has employed many highly skilled workers over the years. While the closure will lead to operations moving to Elkhart, other jobs will be moved overseas.
According to the United Auto Workers union, this move could result in a significant job loss. The union criticized the closure, highlighting the plant’s decades-long role in the community and the potential loss of hundreds of jobs.
