Ladson, South Carolina— German automaker Mercedes Benz will close its van assembly plant in South Carolina on Friday, September 30th, due to the potential impact of Hurricane Ian, a company spokeswoman said.

"Due to the potential impact of Hurricane Ian on the greater Charleston area and to focus on the safety of our team members, our facility in Ladson, South Carolina, will be closed tomorrow and production won't be running,” Mercedes spokeswoman Andrea Berg said in a Thursday statement.

The Mercedes plant in Ladson, South Carolina, outside Charleston, employs about 1,600 people and builds the Mercedes Sprinter and Metris vans.