Canned food giant Del Monte Foods is preparing to close its fruit processing facility in Modesto, ending operations at one of the company’s longstanding California plants.

The shutdown is expected to impact roughly 600 full-time employees, with an additional 1,200 seasonal workers affected during peak harvest periods, CBS News reported. Workers were notified of the decision on Thursday, a union representative told the Modesto Bee.

The closure follows Del Monte’s bankruptcy filing last July. In a news release issued Jan. 15, the company announced it had reached an agreement to be acquired by Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. for $285 million. The deal will place the Del Monte brand under a single owner for the first time in nearly four decades.

Although the Modesto facility had initially been expected to remain in operation, no buyer ultimately stepped forward to take over the plant, according to CBS News.

“In connection with Del Monte Foods’ court-supervised sale process, the go-forward business will not require the operational capacity provided by the Modesto plant. As a result, Del Monte Foods has made the difficult decision to begin an orderly wind-down of operations at the facility,” Del Monte announced in a statement to ABC10 (KXTV-TV) in Sacramento. 

“We recognise the significant impact this decision will have on our team members, their families, and the community, and our priority is supporting our team and customers through this transition. We are grateful to the Modesto team for their dedication and contributions to Del Monte Foods over the years.“