LONDON—Fenner P.L.C. is continuing to restructure its North American conveyor belt operations in a plan that includes work force cutbacks and the closure of the majority of its belt manufacturing plant in Port Clinton, Ohio.
About 20 percent of the work force, which currently stands at just over 800, within its Engineered Conveyor Solutions Americas belt division will be cut. Most of those layoffs will occur by the end of January, a spokesman said.
The Port Clinton production facility, one of two operated by ECS in North America, primarily produces conveyor belts for the coal and other mining sectors, which has fallen on difficult times during the last two years.
The cutbacks follow reductions Fenner made in August 2015, including an 11 percent slice of the firm's North American work force.
In addition, the company's ECS business is being downsized in South America to reflect changing conditions in the copper mining industry.