National tool company closing South Carolina plant

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A national tool maker on Monday announced a “transformation strategy” that will result in growth for two of its plants, but closure for a South Carolina site.

Stanley Black & Decker said in a news release that is changing its distribution network, which means change for several manufacturing centers.

Part of that plan is to close a plant in Cheraw and move that operation to Tennessee into already existing facilities in Jackson and Gallatin, the company said in the news release. Stanley Black & Decker also will close operations at a site in Fort Worth, Texas.

The changes mean 80 new jobs in Tennessee but the loss of jobs for 175 employees in Texas and 182 at the Cheraw plant. Cheraw is in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina, near Florence and Darlington.

“The company is focused on providing a smooth transition to impacted employees including options for employment at other Stanley Black & Decker facilities, as well as job placement support services,” the company said in the statement.

Stanley Black & Decker said the actions are aligned to a transformation strategy designed to deliver $2 billion of cost savings “and are reflective of current economic conditions which highlighted needed changes in Stanley Black & Decker's production and distribution network.”

The changes will enable a more focused product portfolio and strategic sourcing while improving operations and service, the company said in the release.

“These efforts will support and strengthen Stanley Black & Decker's core business, drive financial performance, and enable investments to ensure sustainable future growth,” the statement said.

Stanley Black & Decker has been headquartered in Connecticut since 1843, and today has more than 40 manufacturing facilities and nearly 19,000 employees in the United States. Before this announcement, the company workforce had grown by 5,000 over the last five years, the news release said.

The company’s brands include Dewalt, Craftsman, Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt.