Conn‑Selmer Eastlake Plant Closure Shifts 150 Union Jobs to China

Conn‑Selmer announced that its Eastlake, Ohio, brass‑instrument factory will shut, moving most of its production to a new facility in Jiangsu province, China. The closure will affect roughly 150 union‑represented workers at the historic plant that has operated for more than four decades.

The decision has drawn criticism because the plant’s owner, John Paulson, is a major donor to former President Donald Trump, whose campaign has repeatedly warned against offshoring. Union locals, including UAW Local 2359, have condemned the move as a betrayal of American manufacturing and are organizing efforts to keep the plant open. The shutdown is slated for June 30, 2026, with some work slated to shift to a non‑union site in Indiana before the bulk moves overseas.