A total of 145 people will lose their jobs when a worldwide maker of ball bearings and other automotive equipment closes its Hebron distribution center later this year. SKF USA Inc. Monday announced plans to transfer its North American automotive vehicle service market distribution and packaging operations into another facility in Crossville, Tennessee. The Hebron center packages, warehouses and distributes bearings, hub bearing units, seals, and u-joints for the automotive and heavy duty aftermarkets. Sweden-based SKF has 140 plants and roughly 48,000 employees in 32 countries. “It is an extremely difficult decision to close our Hebron facility, as it will affect 145 employees. SKF established this operation more than 20 years ago and it has been a valuable part of our distribution network,” said Tom O’Brien, President of SKF Vehicle Service Market, in a news release. “However, as the North American aftermarket further consolidates and becomes increasingly more competitive, it is critical that SKF provides the foundation for exceptional customer service in the most efficient way possible.” The consolidation should be completed by mid-2016.