TOBACCOVILLE, N.C. (AP) — Reynolds American Inc. will cut 350 full-time positions as it consolidates more production into its Tobaccoville plant, the company announced Thursday

Reynolds American said the consolidation that begins next month will continue through 2024, The Winston-Salem Journal reported.

"We are focused on delivering long-term, sustainable growth in a rapidly evolving environment," Guy Meldrum, Reynolds' president and chief executive, said in a news release.

Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co. Inc.'s operations in Oxford and American Snuff Co. LLC's operations at the Taylor Brothers plant in Winston-Salem will move to Tobaccoville. The ASC Traditional Oral operations in Memphis, Tennessee, will move to Clarksville, Tennessee, where Reynolds has another smokeless tobacco production facility.

Reynolds declined to say how many of 350 jobs being eliminated are local jobs, but said more than half of employees across the closing facilities will have the opportunity to transfer sites.

"While these changes are necessary to support the future of our business, they will be extremely difficult for our employees at the manufacturing sites that are closing, and today we are focused on providing support to them through this transition," Meldrum said. The company is offering displaced employees a comprehensive severance and medical benefit continuation package and outplacement support.