Wednesday, July 02, 2008
COACHMAN LAYS OFF SOME SALARIED STAFF
By Greg Gerber @ 2:05 PM :: :: 0 Comments :: :: Manufacturing News
MIDDLEBURY, Ind. -- Coachmen Industries laid off a number of workers Tuesday, including several long-term sales representatives, RV Industry News has learned.
Thomas Gehl, corporate secretary and director of investor relations, said that less than a dozen salaried employees were laid off in recent days as part of a companywide consolidation plan to improve efficiency.
However, starting Thursday, the entire company will be shut down for two weeks instead of the one-week closure the firm usually announces in conjunction with the Independence Day holiday. Several salaried employees who provide support services to the manufacturing plants will also be impacted by the two-week shutdown.
Sources contacting RV Industry News said a "considerable" number of salaried workers including sales managers and sales staff had been terminated. One source close to the company who knew people that were terminated said the lay offs affected several long-term veterans within the company.
But, Gehl said he spoke with Mike Terlep, president of Coachmen RV Company, who assured him that less than a dozen positions were eliminated.
"It appears the company is going back to the sales structure it had in place in the 1980s," one source said. "Each remaining sales rep will now handle all three brands -- Coachmen, Sportscoach and Georgie Boy."
Gehl said he didn't have any information about the consolidation within the RV division's sales structure.
RV INDUSTRY NEWS
MIDDLEBURY, Ind. -- Coachmen Industries laid off a number of workers Tuesday, including several long-term sales representatives, RV Industry News has learned.
Thomas Gehl, corporate secretary and director of investor relations, said that less than a dozen salaried employees were laid off in recent days as part of a companywide consolidation plan to improve efficiency.
However, starting Thursday, the entire company will be shut down for two weeks instead of the one-week closure the firm usually announces in conjunction with the Independence Day holiday. Several salaried employees who provide support services to the manufacturing plants will also be impacted by the two-week shutdown.
Sources contacting RV Industry News said a "considerable" number of salaried workers including sales managers and sales staff had been terminated. One source close to the company who knew people that were terminated said the lay offs affected several long-term veterans within the company.
But, Gehl said he spoke with Mike Terlep, president of Coachmen RV Company, who assured him that less than a dozen positions were eliminated.
"It appears the company is going back to the sales structure it had in place in the 1980s," one source said. "Each remaining sales rep will now handle all three brands -- Coachmen, Sportscoach and Georgie Boy."
Gehl said he didn't have any information about the consolidation within the RV division's sales structure.
RV INDUSTRY NEWS
