BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — The Caterpillar Global Mining America, LLC call center in downtown Bluefield will closeby the end of next month, company officials confirmed Wednesday.
The call center is located in the building that previously housed the Bluefield Automobile Club. The facility serves as a global parts control center to help those companies that operate Caterpillar machinery in coal mines get the parts when they need them.
It first opened in the spring of 2015. The company announced a workforce reduction in April due to the decline of the coal industry.
“With the recent announcement regarding room and pillar products, the company decided to close the Bluefield facility by end of October,” part of a company release read. “Caterpillar understands this decision is difficult for the impacted workers and their families, but these actions are necessary to position the company for long-term success.”
How many employees are still working at the site was not known Wednesday.