American Standard to close plant in Brazil

American Standard will close a Queimados, Brazil-based ceramics manufacturing plant in a move to help bolster its kitchen and bath business.

The company expects the move will save about $7 million in costs annually, though the company will incur about $10 million in charges for consolidating its ceramics business in the Americas region over the next two fiscal quarters.

Of those charges, $2 million are related to job elimination expenses for 216 employees of the Brazil operations.

American Standard plans to relocate the ceramics manufacturing business to “more cost-effective locations.”

The company will release second quarter financial results on July 18.

Based in Piscataway, N.J., American Standard manufactures kitchen and bath products under the American Standard and Ideal standard brands; and air conditioning under the Trane and American Standard brands.