Eaton Corp. announced on Jan. 31, 1983, that it would close its Engine Components Division in Springfield as well as another plant in Cleveland. Eaton cited the competitive pressures of a wilting automotive component industry. The decision eliminated 255 jobs in Springfield, phased out over 12 months. Local officials as well as labor leaders, quoted in the Feb. 1, 1983, Enquirer and News, cited the company's decision to build new plants in Nebraska and Iowa as the major driver.