An Ohio-based steel processing company will cut 310 jobs in Florence as it closes an engineering facility on General William W Drive, the company said Tuesday.
Worthington Industries is trimming 555 total jobs company-wide as it claims the oil and gas industry is slowing, Columbus Business First reported.
The facility in Florence, which creates large “cabs” for farm tractors and huge Caterpillar-type machines, was purchased by Worthington in 2011 during a deal valued at $180 million, the business publication reported.
But, Worthington Industries has complained the Florence facility, also known as Angus-Palm, had old technology and they decided not to spend money to improve the location.
The company blamed a slowing mining industry for a weak demand for large earth-moving equipment that needs the new cabs built in Florence.
The company announced it will close the Florence facility in September of this year, just a year after 40 new jobs were added at the cab production plant in Florence.
“The weaker market conditions in Engineered Cabs combined with a need for significant capital investments to address production challenges led to this decision,” John McConnell, Chairman and CEO, said in a press release about the Florence facility.
“We will be transitioning business to our Greeneville, Tenn. operations to better serve our customers.”
