Bridge Michigan · October 11, 2026

Howard Miller Closes Zeeland Factory and Lays Off Nearly 200 Workers

• Howard Miller, a clockmaker in Zeeland, Michigan, closed its factory after a century in business, sold its inventory and brand name, and laid off nearly 200 workers, according to the report.
• Nelson Vandermeer, 62, who lost his product-designer job at the company, said he plans to vote straight Democrat in next month's midterms, according to the report.
• The United States has added manufacturing jobs so far this year, but the sector has fewer employees than when President Donald Trump returned to the White House in January 2025, according to the report.
• White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said a factory boom is underway, citing increases in manufacturing output and more work in certain nonresidential construction trades, according to the report.

This is an Associated Press report carried by Bridge Michigan; the White House response is documented in the source and included above. Original headline: "GOP faces backlash from factory workers squeezed out of jobs by Trump's tariffs".