BUENA VISTA TOWNSHIP, Mich. -- Nearly 150 salaried positions at the former Delphi Steering facility have been eliminated.

Platinum Equity, a Los Angeles-based private equity firm which purchased the steering business from bankrupt Delphi Corp., will open a new company sometime this summer.

Monday's cuts to the workforce include workers in sales, marketing, manufacturing, purchasing, engineering and human resources.

The company said the jobs were cut because of changing market conditions and lower customer volumes.

Not all workers are taking the cuts lying down; as many as 50 left involuntarily.