Brodhead plant cuts 60 jobs
BRODHEAD — Kuhn North America announced Friday it was laying off 60 workers at its Brodhead facility, effective immediately.
"The current difficult economic times and a reduced production schedule requires less manufacturing capacity and therefore less people," President and Chief Economic Officer Thierry Krier said in a news release.
Kuhn North America is North America's largest manufacturer of mixers and manure spreaders, and also supplies hay and forage tools. The company employees about 500 people in North America.
It was not clear this morning how many employees would remain at the Brodhead facility after the layoffs.
Krier said farm equipment managers began to see a decline in the farm economy in late 2008. The company cited declines in farm commodity prices, and lower-than-anticipated farm incomes as reasons for a decline in retail sales produced.
"These declining factors have all deteriorated very rapidly since Jan. 1," he said.
In 2007 and 2008, the company saw growth in the farm economy. Additions were made to the plant in Brodhead and several new employees were hired.
The company's products are sold in more than 80 countries. It has five factories in Europe, one in the United States and one in Brazil.
Krier was not available for comment Friday.
The Kuhn North America layoffs are the second big economic hit in Brodhead of the new year. On Feb. 5, Woodbridge Corp. announced it was closing the foam-seat line at the Brodhead plant by April 10, affecting about 65 jobs. The Department of Workforce Development now lists the Woodbridge line closing as affecting 99 jobs.
Workers losing their jobs will be entering a Green County economy that in January jumped to a jobless rate of 8.1 percent, up from 5.5 percent in December 2008 and up from 5.0 percent in January 2008.
related STORIES
Mar 10, 2009 at 5:49 p.m.
Suggest removal
They still have around 674 employees working.
That includes office and 3 shifts of workers...1st shirt, 2nd shift and 4th shift.
Mar 10, 2009 at 9:48 a.m.
Suggest removal
Busch and Obama are not the cause nor the fix to this mess. Greed is the cause and personal reflection on what really makes us happy is the fix. Obama can inject money into the "system", and that may help a little in a couple years, but he can't fix 'us'. As long as we have greedy finacial CEO's and Wall Street fat cats thinking up new schemes (think 'mortgage-backed securities') to make money off the middle class, and as long as we have lawmakers who continue to let that happen (we wouldn't want to 'regulate', after all) this will never go away.
.
Want to do something about it? Contact your local representative and tell them you're tired of the greed on Wall Street, you're tired of the greed in Washington, and it's time for the middle-class to stand up.
Mar 10, 2009 at 7:48 a.m.
Suggest removal
I worked there. It was a nice place. I had just gotten a raise (.25) a month ago.It was not just the little pee ons like me,people that had been there for 13 years got it also.I had never once called in sick. I went where ever they sent me and I worked. There is still close to 400 people working. The banks are NOT leanding the farmers the money to buy,plain and simple.....
Mar 9, 2009 at 10:38 p.m.
Suggest removal
localboy, it took george bush 8 years to screw it up how can you expect Obama to fix it in 2 months? get real.
Mar 9, 2009 at 8:05 p.m.
Suggest removal
the article first states, "Kuhn North America announced Friday it was laying off 60 workers at its Brodhead facility, effective immediately."
then later states that it is unsure how many will be employed after the lay-off.
How about currently employed minus 60??
Mar 9, 2009 at 8:02 p.m.
Suggest removal
Five factories in Europe...one in the U.S....and one in Brazil. Could not one of the five in Europe have been chosen for downsizing?
Mar 9, 2009 at 7:23 p.m.
Suggest removal
Obama straight out said there was not a quick fix. He said he planned to work on change but said we would probably not see it for 1 to 2 years!! Been president for not even 2 full months, give the guy a chance. Bush let it all go in a period of 4 years, give the guy at least a little bit to fix 4 years worth of damage. Keep positive, things always get worse before better
Mar 9, 2009 at 7:10 p.m.
Suggest removal
I thought Obama was going to save everybody and turn around the economy? When George Bush was President, everybody was quick to be on him for not doing anything and being ineffective. What do you say now?
Mar 9, 2009 at 2:29 p.m.
Suggest removal
Only 10% of the workforce was included in the lay offs.
Mar 9, 2009 at 12:14 p.m.
Suggest removal
Then you obviously haven't been there for many years. They have grown tremendously in the past 4-5 years since Knight sold it.
Mar 9, 2009 at 11:57 a.m.
Suggest removal
Sixty workers? That must be the whole plant. I didn't think they had 60 workers unless they count office people.
Before you post a comment, consider this:
Note: GazetteXtra.com does not condone or review every comment. Read more in our User Policy AgreementPost Comment
Commenting requires registration.