Superior Industries International Inc. said on Wednesday it is restructuring its Van Nuys manufacturing facility and will lay off more than half of its 635 manufacturing employees.

The Van Nuys-based supplier of aluminum wheels to automakers will downsize its staff by about 375 workers, Superior said in a statement.

The Van Nuys facility will then concentrate on specialty operations, Superior said, with the hope that it would be profitable at lower volumes.

Superior’s corporate offices and 125 corporate staff, which also are located at this facility, will not be affected by the downsizing.

The company expects to incur severance and other costs related to the layoffs of approximately $1.5 million in 2006. At Dec. 31, the book value of the manufacturing assets at the Van Nuys location was approximately $35 million.