ZURICH, SWITZERLAND - ABB is reducing the workforce at the small transformers plant in South Boston, Virginia, by 113 workers, as it presses ahead with its reorganization.

The transformer plant in South Boston is part of the power grids division which ABB is selling to Hitachi in a $11 billion deal. The plant employed a total of 467 people.

"The remaining 75 percent of the local workforce will continue to contribute to the future production of transformers used in the power industry," Reuters cites a spokesman.

An ABB U.S. spokesman told South Boston News & Record the cuts were due to a global slowdown in demand for transformers.

The company said the South Boston cuts were not related to the divestment of ABB Power Grids' business to Hitachi, which is expected to close in the first half of 2020.

Source: Reuters