Trane Company leaders tell NewsCenter 13 the La Crosse plant will lose 140 hourly workers and 5 salaried employees when the plant moves to a larger parts center in Memphis next June.

Trane says it reached a decision to open a new expanded national parts distribution center and once that center opens Trane will shut down its smaller centers in La Crosse and in Memphis.

The study that prompted this move showed having 1 large national center in Memphis would give Trane greater access to customers and buyers to improve customer service.

Company leaders say the study showed a customer and supplier base shift to the south, making the La Crosse parts center more expensive to operate.

Hourly union employees may have an opportunity to get a job in Memphis but the employees would have to handle relocation on their own.

The company hopes to minimize layoffs through retirements and attrition. There may be some other employment opportunities at other places in La Crosse.

1,000 hourly employees and 1,350 salaried people work at Trane in La Crosse.