Financially troubled First Brands Group has asked a Texas bankruptcy judge to approve the $50 million sale of Walbro, its water and fuel pump manufacturing subsidiary. Walbro is known for producing Airtex brand pumps, which were formerly manufactured at the Airtex plant in Fairfield until its closure in 2014, when production shifted to China and Mexico.
If the deal is approved, Walbro will be sold to an affiliate of Overdrive Dynamics Group—specifically, Overdrive Capital, a major manufacturer of pollution control systems. The proposed sale has the backing of major automakers Ford and General Motors, both of which rely on Walbro for original equipment. In 2024, 13% of First Brands’ $5 billion in sales came from manufacturing original parts.
As bankruptcy proceedings continue, First Brands has shuttered several manufacturing plants, including Champion Labs in Albion, Brake Parts, Inc. in McHenry, Illinois, and Cordone and Tarrant Manufacturing plants in Texas. The closures have resulted in the loss of hundreds of jobs as the company struggles through bankruptcy.
First Brands’ website previously claimed as many as 60,000 employees worldwide. However, there is currently no accurate count of how many of the company’s manufacturing facilities have been permanently or temporarily closed as the bankruptcy process unfolds.