A total of 183 jobs will be eliminated at Timken’s Tyger River Plant by the end of 2013 as the company shifts some production lines to other facilities in the Carolinas and overseas.
In a statement released Thursday, The Timken Company announced its decision to focus the Tyger River Plant’s manufacturing footprint primarily on thrust and large-bore bearings (primarily those greater than 24 inches). The production of smaller bearings accounts for approximately one-third of the plant’s current output, and the movement of these product lines from Tyger River will result in comparable reductions in staffing at the plant.
The company’s goal is to make Tyger River competitive for years to come. These actions are designed to focus production on a narrower, but key product line. Thrust and large-bore bearings are utilized in markets including metals, mining, oil and gas and wind energy.
Since 2005, Timken has invested in excess of $33 million in the product lines that remain, and the company is evaluating future investments to improve its position in the marketplace.
The production capacity leaving the plant will be moved to other Timken manufacturing facilities, primarily located in North and South Carolina, with some limited production moving to other global manufacturing facilities based on the customers they serve.
Timken expects these changes to reduce overall employment in this plant 37 percent with 183 positions affected.
The company’s approximately 60-person temporary workforce will be impacted first, with these positions phased out by the end of 2012.
The company expects to maintain its full-time workforce intact through 2012. As the plant ramps down production in 2013, approximately 123 full-time jobs (110 operative and 13 salaried) are expected to be affected. All staffing adjustments are expected to be completed by the end of 2013.
The Tyger River plant currently employs a staff of approximately 465 workers.
Employees were informed of the news at a staff meeting Thursday.
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