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(Bellefontaine, Ohio) – Two years after announcing it would shutter its plant here, Siemens has given the state of Ohio official notice of the closing.

In a letter to the state, Siemens officials said layoffs for the 434 employees still working at the plant would start January 5, 2009 and continue until March 31. The plant, which makes industrial circuit breakers, is reportedly shifting some work to Mexico and the rest to third-party suppliers.

More than 320 of the employees at Bellefontaine are represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers union, Local #1691. Those employees do have bumping rights, according to the letter.

Nine of Siemens' worldwide businesses headquartered in the U.S. with annual sales of $19.8 billion. The Siemens companies in the U.S. employ some 70,000 people in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. Corporate headquarters for Siemens' U.S. businesses are located in New York City. Worldwide, Siemens and its subsidiaries employ 400,000 people in 190 countries and reported worldwide sales of $96.6 billion in fiscal 2007.

For more information on the company visit http://www.usa.siemens.com/entry/en/