Wednesday, July 02, 2008
DUTCHMAN TRIMMING WORKFORCE
RV Business
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Goshen, Ind.-based towable builder Dutchmen Manufacturing Inc. has joined the list of Elkhart County RV firms extending down times and cutting back its work force.
According to Fox 28, Elkhart, the Thor Industries Inc. subsidiary laid off over 75 people from their plants across Indiana last week and they are not sure when or if it will be calling those employees back to work.
Dutchmen is also taking a two-and-a-half week shut down this year instead of a normal one-week shutdown.
A spokesperson for the company told Fox 28 that the cutbacks are due to the poor economy and high gas prices that led to lower sales.
The news comes on the heels of a cutback at Newmar Corp., which could affect around 40% of the work force.
According to a report in the Goshen News, Newmar currently employs 780 people. Keith Weirich, director of human resources, said that most of the lost jobs will come from the production lines.
The cuts are "related to the slowdown in the economy, and the lack of demand for RV products," Weirich said. Newmar builds Class A motorhomes and fifth-wheel trailers at its factility in Nappanee.
Although the layoffs are unfortunate, they are not surprising, said Nappanee Mayor Larry Thompson.
"With the current times and high prices of fuel," he guessed it was "probably going to happen," but that it's "not necessarily a long-term thing.
"I think all of Elkhart County is being affected pretty heavily with this. Hopefully by the end of the summer, the politicians can get their heads together and resolve this."
Newmar is one of Nappanee's largest employers, Thompson said, so it's a big deal anytime the company make layoffs.
"It's not unusual for this time of year for some of these plants to close for a week or two weeks," he said, but "a layoff is defintely unfortunate."
Keeping the current situation in perspective is important, Thompson said.
"I think you have to look at it over a 10-year span, and life's been pretty good," he said. "From time to time, over a span of years, undoubtedly it's going to happen. Hopefully we can weather the storm."
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Goshen, Ind.-based towable builder Dutchmen Manufacturing Inc. has joined the list of Elkhart County RV firms extending down times and cutting back its work force.
According to Fox 28, Elkhart, the Thor Industries Inc. subsidiary laid off over 75 people from their plants across Indiana last week and they are not sure when or if it will be calling those employees back to work.
Dutchmen is also taking a two-and-a-half week shut down this year instead of a normal one-week shutdown.
A spokesperson for the company told Fox 28 that the cutbacks are due to the poor economy and high gas prices that led to lower sales.
The news comes on the heels of a cutback at Newmar Corp., which could affect around 40% of the work force.
According to a report in the Goshen News, Newmar currently employs 780 people. Keith Weirich, director of human resources, said that most of the lost jobs will come from the production lines.
The cuts are "related to the slowdown in the economy, and the lack of demand for RV products," Weirich said. Newmar builds Class A motorhomes and fifth-wheel trailers at its factility in Nappanee.
Although the layoffs are unfortunate, they are not surprising, said Nappanee Mayor Larry Thompson.
"With the current times and high prices of fuel," he guessed it was "probably going to happen," but that it's "not necessarily a long-term thing.
"I think all of Elkhart County is being affected pretty heavily with this. Hopefully by the end of the summer, the politicians can get their heads together and resolve this."
Newmar is one of Nappanee's largest employers, Thompson said, so it's a big deal anytime the company make layoffs.
"It's not unusual for this time of year for some of these plants to close for a week or two weeks," he said, but "a layoff is defintely unfortunate."
Keeping the current situation in perspective is important, Thompson said.
"I think you have to look at it over a 10-year span, and life's been pretty good," he said. "From time to time, over a span of years, undoubtedly it's going to happen. Hopefully we can weather the storm."
