Stephens Co. Caterpillar Facility Shut Down

The shut down at Caterpillar’s Stephens County plant is official.

According to Stephens County Development Authority Executive Director Tim Martin, production has finished in the building and all inventory has been shipped out of the building in the Hayestone-Brady Business Park on Georgia Highway 17.

He says the equipment dismantling process is underway and there are about 20 people in the building taking care of that task.

Martin says the process has been sad, but very employee-focused with incredible time and attention invested in making the transition smooth for all involved.

A job fair was held last month for those employees affected by the Caterpillar closing.

On its Facebook page, the Development Authority says that 13 companies, three staffing agencies, two education institutions, and 80 Caterpillar employees attended.

Caterpillar announced in January 2015 that it was closing both its Toccoa and Franklin, North Carolina facilities to consolidate production to a facility in Mapleton, Illinois.

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

When making the announcement last year, Caterpillar officials said the decision was 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.