Eaton closing Charlotte manufacturing plant, cutting 90 jobs

Irish manufacturing firm Eaton told employees Tuesday that it will close a north Charlotte facility by the end of the year, eliminating about 90 jobs. The closure comes as Eaton reviews its manufacturing footprint, the company said. Charlotte’s facility produces commercial vehicle clutches. The work will be shifted to plants in Auburn, Ind., and San Luis Potosi, Mexico. “This difficult decision in no way reflects on the hard work of the people in this facility, and we are acutely aware of the impact this type of announcement has on our valued employees and their families,” business communications manager Jim Michels said in a statement. Eaton began work at the Charlotte facility, at 5808 Long Creek Park Drive off Statesville Avenue, in 2007. Employees will lose their jobs over time as the company winds down operations there. Eaton earned $1.9 billion in 2013, securities filings show. The company continues to employ about 80 in Charlotte at an electrical facility. Eaton also has 17 more locations in North Carolina, employing more than 4,100. The company’s U.S. headquarters is in Cleveland, Ohio.