Caterpillar hydraulics plant in Sumter to close.

The Caterpillar hydraulics plant in Sumter will close early next year.

The heavy equipment manufacturer is closing its hydraulic cylinder plant at 650 Jefferson Road, which will affect 150 workers, according to company officials. The plant opened more than 20 years ago and is one of two Caterpillar sites in Sumter.

The closure does not affect the company's Sumter Precision Pins facility at 1355 N. Wise Drive, which will remain open, officials said.

"In order to better position ourselves for future competitiveness, we plan to consolidate operations at our Sumter hydraulics facility into other existing facilities early near year," said Brant Watson, senior communications representative for Caterpillar. "We will do our best to redeploy affected employees. Otherwise we are offering severance packages."

Caterpillar's...