Chrysler to temporarily close Belvidere plant

DETROIT -- Chrysler LLC plans to close four assembly plants temporarily due to the bankruptcy protection filing of one of its plastic parts suppliers, a company spokeswoman said Monday.

The plants in Sterling Heights; Newark, Del.; Toledo, Ohio; and Belvidere, said spokeswoman Michelle Tinson. It was not immediately disclosed how many workers the plants have.

The automaker still was determining what additional impact Dearborn-based Plastech Engineered Products Inc.'s bankruptcy filing last week would have on its manufacturing operations, Tinson said.

Chrysler terminated its contracts with Plastech on Friday, said Kevin Frazier, another spokesman for the Auburn Hills-based automaker.

A message seeking comment from a Plastech spokesman was left Monday morning.

Plastech has 36 facilities and 7,600 employees in the United States and Canada.

It supplies engine covers, grill panels, moldings, metal stampings, door panels, floor consoles and safety restraint system components among other items to Chrysler, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp. and Toyota Motor Co., according to the supplier's Web site.