Large northeastern North Dakota manufacturer shutting down

PEMBINA, N.D. (AP) — One of the largest employers in northeastern North Dakota is closing later this year.

Winnipeg, Manitoba-based New Flyer Industries is shutting down its charter and transit bus manufacturing plant in Pembina, located close to the Canadian border. Pembina Mayor Mike Fitzgerald said company was notified of the decision in a letter.

The company told Fitzgerald that it was having difficulty finding qualified employees, a factor in its conversion to electric vehicles, and the plant’s location has become an issue. New Flyer has a plant in Crookston, Minnesota, which is about 100 miles (161 kilometers) from Pembina.

Fitzgerald called the move “devastating” and said it will put more than 200 employees out of work, KFGO radio reported.

The Pembina plant opened in 1963.