American Axle offers Buffalo workers buyout

DETROIT - American Axle & Manufacturing will offer buyout and early retirement packages to the 653 hourly workers at a plant it plans to shutter in Buffalo, the auto supplier announced Tuesday.

The plant closure is a result of lagging demand for mid-sized pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles, the company said in a statement.

American Axle plans to idle the plant, which makes light truck gear, axle and linkage parts, at the end of this year as it reduces U.S. production capacity.