Plastech Engineered Products
Plastech Engineered Products was a Michigan-based tier-one automotive supplier specializing in engineered plastic components and related manufacturing.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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History
Plastech Engineered Products emerged in 1988 from the purchase of a single injection-molding plant in Caro, Michigan. From that starting point, it developed into a substantial North American automotive supplier. Its growth combined organic expansion with acquisitions intended to increase manufacturing capacity, customer coverage, and technical capabilities. The acquisition of United Screw and Bolt in 1997 and LDM Technologies in 2004 were among the company’s most important reported transactions. The company served the automotive industry as a tier-one supplier. Its customer list included General Motors, Ford Motor Company, Chrysler, and Johnson Controls. Plastech’s activities centered on engineered plastic components and related automotive manufacturing, with production and technical operations distributed across a broad U.S. network. At its reported peak, it had roughly 7,600 employees, 31 manufacturing facilities, two corporate sites, and a North American technical center. Facilities were located in Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee. A major expansion occurred in 2007, when Plastech took over four plants and associated sales from Johnson Controls. The transferred business represented approximately US$700 million in sales, and Plastech’s annual sales were subsequently reported at approximately US$1.7 billion. This expansion increased the company’s scale but also left it exposed to the financial and operational demands of a large automotive-supplier network. Plastech’s viability deteriorated amid a dispute with Chrysler. On February 1, 2008, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Chrysler’s procurement leadership characterized Plastech’s quality problems as unusually serious and linked the cancellation of Chrysler contracts to those problems and to the supplier’s continuing financial needs. Plastech was also experiencing trouble paying suppliers and had violated agreements with lenders. General Motors, Ford, and Johnson Controls publicly supported Chrysler’s position, making it difficult for Plastech to maintain its principal-customer relationships while seeking protection from creditors. The attempted reorganization did not preserve the operating company. Plastech was liquidated, and major assets were sold to Johnson Controls. One of its Louisiana plants closed during the bankruptcy period, and additional closures and job losses were reported at other locations, including facilities in Tennessee and Ohio. The subsequent history of the physical sites became connected to changes in the automotive-interiors sector. After Johnson Controls separated its automotive-interiors business in 2014, some former Plastech locations were operated by Yanfeng Automotive Interiors. The corporate remnants continued to generate legal and administrative activity after liquidation. In 2014, Plastech Holding Corp. was involved in litigation in the Eastern District of Michigan with GreenTech Automotive. Plastech alleged that GreenTech and its chief executive had interfered with Plastech’s relationship with JAC Motors, a Chinese automaker, including through discussions concerning a potential intermediary role. The supplied reference material does not establish the final disposition of that litigation. On October 19, 2017, Oak Point Partners acquired the remaining assets from the liquidating trust for the Plastech Engineered Products bankruptcy estates. Those assets consisted of known and unknown residual interests that had not previously been administered. The operating automotive-supplier business itself is therefore treated as defunct, although successor companies later used some former facilities and residual corporate matters continued under related entities. The Plastech name also survives institutionally through Brown University’s endowed Plastech Professorship of Computer Science.
- 2017
Residual bankruptcy assets acquired by Oak Point Partners
[1]Oak Point Partners acquired remaining known and unknown assets from the Plastech liquidating trust on October 19.
- 2014
Post-bankruptcy litigation involving GreenTech Automotive
[1]Plastech Holding Corp. pursued litigation in Michigan concerning alleged interference with its relationship with JAC Motors.
- 2008
Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing and liquidation
[1]Plastech filed for Chapter 11 protection on February 1 and was subsequently liquidated, with major assets sold to Johnson Controls.
- 2007
Four plants and associated sales transferred from Johnson Controls
[1]Plastech assumed four Johnson Controls plants and approximately US$700 million in sales, bringing reported annual sales to approximately US$1.7 billion.
- 2004
LDM Technologies acquired
[1]The acquisition of LDM Technologies further enlarged Plastech’s automotive manufacturing platform.
- 1997
United Screw and Bolt acquired
[1]Plastech expanded through the acquisition of United Screw and Bolt.
- 1988
Company begins with acquisition of Caro injection-molding facility
[1]Plastech traces its beginning to the purchase of a single injection-molding plant in Caro, Michigan.
Products and positioning
A large, vertically scaled tier-one automotive supplier focused on engineered plastics, injection molding, and related vehicle components for North American automakers and automotive-system companies.
Automotive components
Engineered plastic automotive components
Plastech manufactured engineered plastic parts for vehicle programs as a tier-one automotive supplier. The available reference identifies injection molding and automotive interiors as central to the company’s manufacturing profile, but does not provide a complete product-by-product catalog.
Automotive interiors
Automotive interior-related assemblies
The company supplied components and assemblies used within the automotive-interiors supply chain. Its customer base included automakers and Johnson Controls, although the available material does not specify individual branded vehicle parts or model applications.
Brand decisions
2008
Chapter 11 filing following Chrysler contract disputeOtherBackground
Plastech faced customer conflict, quality criticism, liquidity problems, supplier-payment difficulties, and alleged breaches of lender agreements.
Action taken
The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on February 1, 2008.
Aftermath
The business was later liquidated and major assets were sold to Johnson Controls.
- General Motors — Publicly supported Chrysler’s position in the dispute.
- Ford Motor Company — Publicly supported Chrysler’s position in the dispute.
- Johnson Controls — Publicly supported Chrysler’s position and later acquired major Plastech assets.
2007
Expansion through Johnson Controls plant and business transferM&ABackground
Plastech was expanding its North American automotive manufacturing footprint through acquisitions and larger customer programs.
Action taken
The company took over four plants and associated sales from Johnson Controls.
Aftermath
The transaction added approximately US$700 million in sales and was followed by reported annual sales of approximately US$1.7 billion.
Sales associated with transferred business and reported annual sales. Approximately US$700 million in transferred sales → Approximately US$1.7 billion in annual sales (2007)
Recent events
- 2017
Oak Point Partners acquires residual Plastech bankruptcy-estate assets[1]
M&A
Oak Point Partners acquired the remaining known and unknown assets that had not previously been administered from the Plastech Engineered Products liquidating trust.
- 2014
Plastech Holding Corp. becomes involved in GreenTech Automotive litigation[1]
Lawsuit
Plastech Holding Corp. was involved in litigation in the Eastern District of Michigan concerning alleged interference by GreenTech Automotive with Plastech’s relationship with Chinese automaker JAC Motors.
- 2014
Johnson Controls spins off automotive-interiors business[1]
M&A
Johnson Controls separated its automotive-interiors business, and a number of former Plastech locations were subsequently operated by Yanfeng Automotive Interiors.
- 2008
Plastech Engineered Products files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection[1]
Bankruptcy · Lawsuit
Plastech sought Chapter 11 protection after a dispute with Chrysler over supply contracts, quality concerns, financial needs, and contract cancellations. The company was also experiencing difficulty paying suppliers and had issues with lender agreements.
- 2008
Plastech assets are liquidated following bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy · M&A
The company was later liquidated, with major assets sold to Johnson Controls. Several facilities associated with the former business subsequently operated under successor automotive-interiors ownership.
Sources1 sources
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