(Rewrites first paragraph. Adds more detail, closing stock price.)
CHICAGO, May 27 (Reuters) - Spartan Motors Inc. said on Tuesday it will close its St. Paul, Minnesota, ambulance unit by year-end and consolidate production in Marion, South Carolina, as it cuts costs.
The Charlotte, Mich.-based manufacturer of custom chassis and emergency-rescue vehicles also said it will take a pretax charge of $700,000 during the second and third quarters as a result.
Spartan said its Road Rescue custom ambulances have been in St. Paul since 1976. About three dozen of the 96 people employed in St. Paul have already transferred to Marion, which will grow from 30 employees to 126 employees.
The South Carolina plant, built about a year ago, has about 106,000 square feet.
Spartan shares rose 13 cents to $8.75 early Tuesday in Nasdaq trading.