International Motors Confirms 1,341 Springfield Layoffs as Roshel Plant Sale Closes October 2
International Motors will terminate virtually all 1,341 employees at its Springfield, Ohio operations when the sale of those facilities to Canadian defense and commercial vehicle manufacturer Roshel closes on October 2, according to a WARN notice filed with the state of Ohio and first reported on August 3. The sale covers the Springfield Assembly Plant and the Truck Specialty Center on Urbana Road. For fleets and shops that run or service International trucks, the headline reads bigger than it is: the truck brand continues, and what is leaving Springfield is a contract-manufacturing operation, not International itself.
What Happened
International signed an asset purchase agreement with Roshel on March 30, covering the operating assets of both Springfield facilities. Roshel, headquartered in Brampton, Ontario, plans to turn the site into a hub for US-based, vertically integrated production of commercial, specialty, and armored vehicles built on chassis from several major OEMs. The WARN notice filed in late July put hard numbers on the transition: 1,314 workers at the assembly plant and 27 at the Truck Specialty Center will be terminated effective October 2, except for certain employees on approved leave. About 1,137 assembly plant workers and 21 specialty center employees are represented by the UAW through Locals 402 and 658.
The Springfield plant opened in 1966 and has long served as International's truck assembly home. In recent years, however, it has been used primarily for contract manufacturing, producing medium-duty trucks and General Motors van chassis under an agreement that expires September 30, 2026. According to Dayton Business Journal's analysis of Ohio WARN data, the notice is the largest reported mass layoff in the state in the past five years.
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| March 30, 2026 | International signs asset purchase agreement with Roshel |
| Late July 2026 | WARN notice filed with Ohio covering 1,341 employees |
| September 30, 2026 | Contract manufacturing agreement expires |
| October 2, 2026 | Sale expected to close; virtually all remaining International employees terminated |
| After closing | Roshel intends to begin operations; rehiring plans not disclosed |
Why International Is Selling
With the contract work ending, International went looking for a buyer rather than an exit. "We have been focused on finding a buyer that values the capabilities of this historic facility and the community," said Samara Strycker, the company's executive vice president and chief financial officer, in the announcement. The campus spans more than 2 million square feet on roughly 500 acres, including a full assembly line and paint facility. International, part of TRATON GROUP since 2021, continues to build International trucks and engines and IC Bus vehicles, employs around 14,500 people worldwide, and supports roughly 1,000 dealer outlets across the US, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico.
What It Means for Fleets and the Aftermarket
- International trucks are not going away. The brand, the engines, the dealer network, and the Fleetrite parts line all continue under TRATON. Parts planning for existing International and MaxxForce-powered vehicles should proceed unchanged.
- Owners of Springfield-built units should confirm parts channels now. Medium-duty trucks and GM van chassis built under the expiring agreement will roll out of a plant under new ownership. If your fleet runs these units, verify parts and service support before September 30.
- A new production customer may emerge. Roshel builds on chassis from several major OEMs and sees room to restore the site to full capacity. New vehicle populations built there would create new long-term parts demand.
- The existing fleet keeps aging regardless. Decades of International-built trucks stay in service no matter who owns the assembly plant, and MaxxForce-era vehicles are deep into their maintenance-heavy years.
Ownership changes at a plant do not change what your trucks need. We stock brand-new, OEM-spec replacement turbochargers for International applications, including maxxforce 13 turbo replacements, alongside every other major North American diesel platform in our diesel engine parts catalog. Units ship from US inventory with a one-year unlimited mileage warranty. Send us the part number from your turbo's nameplate or your engine serial number, and we will confirm exact fitment before you order.
Sources
- Cincinnati Enquirer, "International Motors warns of over 1,300 Ohio layoffs this fall," August 3, 2026
- FreightWaves, "Truck manufacturer exits Ohio location, eliminates 1,341 jobs," August 6, 2026
- International Motors Newsroom, "International enters agreement to sell Springfield, Ohio facilities to defense manufacturer Roshel," March 30, 2026
