FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) — Officials say 212 workers are likely to lose their jobs by the end of the year at a Fort Smith plant that makes air conditioning systems, mostly for homes.
Ingersoll Rand, the parent firm of Trane Residential Solutions, said Friday that some of the production at the Trane plant at Fort Smith will be moved to a plant in Lynn Haven, Fla.
The company said 197 hourly employees and 15 salaried employees would lose their jobs, as currently planned, but "the actual number of employees affected could change depending on fluctuations in production levels, attrition and other factors."
The company said moving some production to the Florida plant would reduce costs, make better use of production capacity, and improve Trane's ability to serve its East Coast customers.
An Ingersoll Rand spokesman said about 455 workers are now employed at the Fort Smith Trane plant, which makes residential and light commercial air-conditioning products.
