On July 31, Bristol Compressors, Bristol, Virginia, announced its intentions to cease operations and immediately begin a 60-day wind-down process. During this process, the company’s website states that it would coordinate with customers, suppliers, and employees to provide an orderly end to production. The company did not respond to requests for additional information, but the closure is expected to result in the loss of 470 jobs.

Since 1974, Bristol Compressors has developed and manufactured hermetic compressors for residential and light commercial air conditioning, heat pump, and refrigeration markets. According to The Business Journal of Tri-Cities Tennessee/Virginia, company officials blamed the closure on soft demand for its products in the Middle East market. The company had placed a substantial burden on its Middle Eastern sales to make up for lower market share in North America, but those sales failed to materialize in great enough volume to save the company, noted the Business Journal.