Trane Technologies plans to close its Memphis Distribution Center by the end of January, the company said this week. About 350 employees will lose their job in Memphis as a result of the closure, a Trane spokesperson said.
Employees confirmed to The Commercial Appeal they had been given notice of termination or told they would at some point before the facility’s closure. Those employees asked to remain anonymous for fear of repercussions while they remain at the site until closing or if they apply for a job with Trane in another location.
The Ireland-based company manufactures and distributes heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and refrigeration systems.
In an email to employees dated Oct. 3, which was obtained by The Commercial Appeal, Jason Bingham, president of residential HVAC and supply, said the distribution of parts and supplies that currently flows through Memphis would be transferred to existing distribution centers in Atlanta and Bridgeton, Missouri.
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New centers in Atlanta and Fort Worth, Texas, which will come online later this year, will also take on some of that distribution load. A spokesperson confirmed that information this week.
Bingham said the change, in part, was precipitated by “our desire to have the right part at the right time” for all customers.
In the email, he said the company would cease all operations at the Memphis facility by the end of January and exit the facility completly by the end of March.
“We take all our decisions that impact our valued and tenured employees seriously. This announcement in no way reflects on the performance, commitment to meeting customers’ needs, or the quality of work done by our teammates at the (Memphis distribution center),” he said.
Trane’s other operations in Tennessee will not be impacted by the distribution center’s closing.
The company said it is offering exit packages to employees as well as job placement services and the opportunity to apply for jobs at other company locations. Employees who spoke with The CA expressed concerns over how notice of termination had been given and other procedures around the facility’s closure.
Corinne S Kennedy covers economic development and healthcare for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached via email at [email protected].