IAC Group to close Cottondale auto parts plant, 83 jobs affected. By Michael Schmidt · November 6, 2026 · United States Know someone in Cottondale, Anniston or elsewhere in Alabama who is job hunting or looking to earn more? Its daily news covers the economy and what it means for job seekers, and a clear, targeted resume is often the fastest way to more interviews. Email them this article. Get this news by email. Canadian and U.S. job-market news for job seekers, each weekday morning. Free; unsubscribe anytime. An auto parts manufacturer will close its Cottondale facility in Tuscaloosa County, according to a notice filed with the state and reported by al.com. International Automotive Components Group, known as IAC Group, submitted a WARN notice that says the site at 15911 Progress Drive is expected to close by Dec. 31 and will affect 83 workers. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment, al.com reported. IAC Group is a global manufacturer based in Luxembourg; its North American arm is headquartered in Southfield, Michigan. The firm makes instrument panels, door panels, overhead systems, headliners and console systems. The closure comes six years after the company announced an expansion of the Cottondale operation. In 2020, IAC Group committed $34.3 million to the Cottondale facility, creating 119 jobs at the site to produce door panels and overhead systems, the report says. The 2026 closure adds to a year of job disruptions in Alabama: the expected cuts bring the state's tally of employees impacted by mass layoffs and closures to nearly 2,800 so far in 2026. Why this matters. The planned shutdown removes a local manufacturing employer and directly affects 83 workers at the Cottondale plant. The notice also highlights how recent investment and hiring can be followed by rapid reversals in manufacturing footprints; the same site received a $34.3 million commitment and 119 new jobs in 2020. The loss will extend the run of mass-layoff counts in Alabama; nearly 2,800 employees have been reported as affected by mass layoffs and closures in 2026 statewide. Local supply chains and service providers that relied on plant payroll and vendor contracts may also feel pressure from the closure. What to watch: whether the Cottondale facility remains open through the expected Dec. 31 closure date and whether additional WARN notices in Alabama change the year's tally of workers impacted. What this means for job seekers. If you work in the Cottondale facility: the WARN notice lists 83 workers impacted by the closure. Transition to other manufacturing or assembly roles by emphasizing hands-on assembly, quality inspection, and experience with door panels, overhead systems or instrument panels. Target regional auto suppliers, automotive assembly plants and insulation or interior-trim suppliers in Alabama and nearby states. On your resume, describe specific systems and materials you handled, machinery you operated, and any uptime, defect-rate or productivity improvements you contributed to. If you're one of the Alabama workers affected by mass layoffs: the report cites nearly 2,800 employees impacted by mass layoffs and closures in Alabama so far in 2026. Highlight transferable skills such as production line work, inventory handling, preventive maintenance, and safety compliance to compete for openings in other manufacturing sites, warehousing and logistics employers, or companies doing contract manufacturing. Frame experience using measurable outcomes such as reduced rework, parts-per-hour targets, or certifications (OSHA, forklift) to stand out. Where the jobs are. In 2020, IAC Group committed $34.3 million to the Cottondale facility, creating 119 jobs at the manufacturing site to produce door panels and overhead systems. Resume example. Illustrative example for assembly and production: * Before: Assembled door panels on production line; followed supervisor instructions. * After: Operated automated trim and fastening equipment to assemble 40+ door panels per hour; reduced rework by 18% through quality checks and standardized torque settings. The revised line quantifies output and quality impact and frames assembly work as process-driven and results-oriented for employers hiring production staff. Were you, or someone you know, affected by these job cuts in Cottondale? If you have lost a job or expect to, send Snap Editing your resume for a free review (or pass this on to someone who needs it). Snap Editing'll say what to change before you start applying, and Snap Editing can turn years with one employer into a resume that shows what you can do for the next one. Looking for work in Cottondale or elsewhere in Alabama? If so, click here for its Alabama resume writing service. Resumes for related careers. Manufacturing. Alabama displaced workers. Economic snapshot. United States. * Unemployment rate4.2% (September 2026, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) * Monthly change in nonfarm payrolls+29,000 jobs (September 2026, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) * Inflation (CPI, year over year)3.7% (September 2026, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics) * Federal funds target range3.75% to 4.00% (Nov 4, 2026, Federal Reserve Bank of New York) Canada. * Unemployment rate6.5% (September 2026, Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey) * Monthly change in employment-68,300 jobs (September 2026, Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey) * Inflation (CPI, year over year)3.1% (September 2026, Statistics Canada, Consumer Price Index) * Bank of Canada policy rate2.50% (Nov 4, 2026, Bank of Canada) * Canadian dollar71.48 US cents (Nov 5, 2026, Bank of Canada) Latest official figures from government statistical agencies and central banks at the time of writing. Markets today. Friday, November 6, 2026 Market data may be delayed. Charts by TradingView.

Auto supplier IAC closing Cottondale plant, cutting 83 jobs. International Automotive Components Group North America will close its Cottondale plant and cut 83 jobs, according to a notice the auto supplier filed with the state Tuesday. The layoffs begin December 31, six years after the company expanded the Cottondale operation with $34.3 million and a promise of 119 new jobs. The closure was announced on the WARN list, a publication of the Alabama Department of Workforce where companies report closures and mass layoffs affecting large numbers of workers anywhere in the state. Get its free mobile app IAC announced the Cottondale expansion in October 2020, alongside a separate $21.6 million upgrade at its Anniston facility. Gov. Kay Ivey's office promoted both projects at the time. Nick Skwiat, IAC's executive vice president and president of its North American operations, said then that "Alabama was the logical choice due to its skilled workforce and proximity to the customer." The Cottondale plant sits minutes from the Mercedes-Benz assembly plant in Vance. IAC manufactures instrument panels, door panels and consoles. Donny Jones, CEO of West AlabamaWorks, said movement among auto suppliers is a constant in the industry. "The auto industry is very dynamic and there is continuous movement within suppliers as products are introduced, phased out, and new ones introduced," Jones said. "The West Alabama Chamber of Commerce, West AlabamaWorks and other regional partners work closely with all of our businesses in the manufacturing industry as well as other industries to help manage employment changes." For more exclusive coverage of business in West Alabama, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread. Hick's campaign announcement, resort groundbreaking top Tuscaloosa headlines this week (10/19-10/26). 11 of the top stories published by the Tuscaloosa Thread in the 44th week of 2026. (Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread) A Tuscaloosa restaurant and brewery owner is now the third candidate to enter the race for the City Council seat Kip Tyner held for 30 years before his death in September. Bo Hicks, who has lived in District 5 for 16 years, said he is running to continue the work Tyner started in East Tuscaloosa. (Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread) A Derek Jeter-backed hospitality company broke ground Friday on a 116,000-square-foot condo, hotel and private club development downtown, and its CEO says Tuscaloosa beat out every other college town in the country for the company's first property. (Don Hartley | Townsquare Media Tuscaloosa) Tuscaloosa Magnet Schools-Middle is the best middle school in Alabama, according to rankings U.S. News & World Report released Tuesday. (Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread) Northport Mayor Dale Phillips told business and civic leaders Tuesday that the city's Main Avenue overhaul is running a little behind schedule 10 months in, and he apologized to the downtown businesses that have absorbed the disruption. (Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread) Construction on a nearly 2-mile extension of Tuscaloosa's Northern Riverwalk is now projected to begin midway through 2027, about a year later than city officials projected last fall. (Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread) Tuscaloosa's $21 million overhaul of University Boulevard East is expected to wrap up around the first of the year, rebuilding the main road through the Alberta community. (Stephen Dethrage | Tuscaloosa Thread) A Tuscaloosa man is charged with three counts of attempted murder after a Monday morning shooting on 34th Street that left two people wounded. Tuscaloosa police got reports of the shooting in the 6800 block of 34th Street at 11:09 a.m. Monday, October 19, according to Lt. Michael Hall of the Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit. (photo provided by Visit Tuscaloosa) Visit Tuscaloosa has added two new ways to spend an afternoon downtown: e-bikes you can rent off the sidewalk outside Hotel Indigo, and a three-hour guided food tour through locally owned restaurants. Credit: UA Media Center Credit: UA News Center The University of Alabama has hired a new company to run the Crimson Ride, its on-campus bus program, and 88 jobs a state filing said were being eliminated will likely be moved to the incoming contractor's payroll instead. Credit: University of Alabama An incident off campus in September of last year has led to a four-year suspension of the Eta Chi chapter of the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity at the University of Alabama.