Closing Clinton

Timken has announced plans to close its Clinton, South Carolina plant, with production being phased down over the next two years.

According to a statement, the decision is part of an ongoing program to increase competitiveness of its Automotive Group by reducing fixed costs and creating more focused factories across its automotive product portfolio.

Products from the Clinton plant, which include of components and bearings for automotive powertrain and chassis applications, will be integrated into other facilities throughout Timken's manufacturing base. Timken expects to continue manufacturing the vast majority of these products in the United States.

"It is necessary that we continue to competitively position our operations. The decision to close this plant resulted from a lengthy study of our automotive business that identified the need to exit certain product lines and to reduce fixed costs across our manufacturing network," said Jacqui Dedo, president of the company's Automotive Group.

Consistent with the company's manufacturing strategy of creating more focused factories,

's multiple production lines will be integrated into other Timken plants. Many of the

plant employees will be offered job opportunities at other Timken manufacturing plants as production is phased down at the plant.