The closure of a tire production facility in south-central Oklahoma is expected to be completed by this fall.
The last tire will roll off from the Michelin Ardmore production plant by late September or early October, according to a report from KTEN-TV, following an update from the Michelin Transition Task Force.
The company had initially planned to wind down production by the end this year.
Around 500 workers remain at the plant, down from the 1,400 originally impacted, the TV station reported.
For decades, Michelin was Ardmore’s biggest employer, opening its doors in 1970.
City Manager Kevin Boatright says the city has been planning for this moment.
"For about a two-year period, we have been preparing ourselves financially to try to absorb some of the loss of revenue," Boatright told the TV station.
He says now that the timeline for closure has been brought into focus, it will help the city in shaping next year’s budget.
The company's rubber-mixing operations will continue at the Ardmore plant, but that will leave a large section of the massive factory vacant. City officials say interest is already growing in the warehouse portion of the site, which could be available early next year.
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