A major manufacturer of engineered bearings and industrial motion products is closing a longtime plant in South Carolina.
The Timken Co. notified employees at its Gaffney, S.C., factory that the site would be shut down this year, The State reports.
The decision will result in the loss of about 225 jobs in South Carolina’s Upstate region.
Timken officials said the move would help streamline its operations and overhaul its manufacturing footprint.
Affected workers will be paid severance and given the opportunity to apply for positions at other Timken plants.
The Gaffney plant dates back to 1971, when it became the first factory in the area to produce something other than textiles.
Employment at the facility, however, has declined for years; local officials noted that its workforce once numbered more than 1,000.
The closure could also be a boon for nearby manufacturers with job openings, officials noted.
