Caterpillar Closing Stephens County Facility By End of 2016

Caterpillar said it is closing its Toccoa facility by the end of 2016.

In a press release issued late Thursday afternoon, the company says it will close both its Toccoa, Georgia foundry and its Franklin, North Carolina facility and consolidate production to a facility in Mapleton, Illinois over and within the next two years.

The Toccoa facility is located in the Hayestone-Brady Business Park on Highway 17 in Stephens County.

Both the Toccoa and Franklin, North Carolina facilities produce seals used in Caterpillar machines around the world.

Caterpillar officials said the company is about improving efficiency and reducing shipping costs by locating its seal production facilities closer to its supply base and several large facilities that use these components.

This announcement about closing the Stephens County plant comes just a little less than three years after Caterpillar had held a groundbreaking for a 40,000 square foot, multi-million dollar expansion in Stephens County.

According to the company, the closings announced on Thursday affect a total of 275 positions between both the Toccoa and Franklin, North Carolina sites.

The company said it will work with employees to determine interest in positions at other Caterpillar facilities where applicable.

Also, the company said displaced employees will receive a severance package from the company and outplacement services from the appropriate agencies.