More Plant Shutdowns

[Bill Garamella]

Just came across this article with a positive spin on the subject .. an RV plant
opening!

RV maker closes but Canadian competitor plans move to Yakima
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

YAKIMA, Wash. -- Two days after the indefinite shutdown of Western Recreational
Vehicles Inc. in Union Gap, a Canadian RV outfit is set to move to the Yakima
area.

Adventurer Manufacturing LP of Abbotsford, British Columbia, announced plans on
Thursday to open a manufacturing plant area in mid-August. Marketing and sales
manager Jim Giesbrecht says the company will start with about 30 workers but
could
boost employment to 100.

Giesbrecht says one attraction for the 39-year-old company is the experienced
labor
force in the RV industry in Yakima.

The announcement comes two days after the indefinite shutdown of Western RV.
Most of
that company's 220 workers have been laid off.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/6420...ma_rv.html

Bill
1983 FC 35


--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "birdshill123"
wrote:
>
> It seems like RV plants are either closing or severely cutting back
> production. The scary part is how fast this is happening. Country
> Coach has laid off a few hundred workers. Alfa is in a state of limbo
> and if the posts on the Alfa forum are any indication they will be
> out of business very quickly.( maybe SEE YA was aan appropriate name)
> The really bad news is as follows:
>
>
>
> DES MOINES, Iowa - Motor home manufacturer Winnebago Industries Inc.
> said it will shut down most of its production lines for a week
> beginning Monday, the result of a continued slowdown in sales.
>
> Low consumer confidence in the economy and interest rates are the two
> primary factors that affect business, company spokeswoman Sheila
> Davis said Friday.
>
> Although The Federal Reserve has aggressively cut interest rates in
> recent months, the reduction has not largely reached consumers yet,
> Davis said.
>
> The curtailment of production at the company's factories in Forest
> City, Charles City and Hampton will affect a majority of the ompany's
> 3,000 workers.
>
>
> A production line in Charles City will stay on the job during the
> week and office workers will remain.
>
> "We take a look at our schedules based on the level we're seeing in
> the retail market and the wholesale market to our dealers," Davis
> said. "We evaluate that on a daily basis and want to make sure we
> keep our inventories in line."
>
> The company typically only shuts down production for a week around
> Christmas and a week in late July.
>
> In March, Winnebago reported that second-quarter profits fell nearly
> 67 percent as consumer confidence helped drag down sales of
> recreational vehicles.
>
> Net income fell to $2.5 million, or 9 cents a share, for the three
> months ended March 1, down from $7.5 million, or 24 cents a share a
> year ago. Sales fell 17.5 percent to $164.2 million from $199 million
> for the same period a year ago.
>
> On Friday shares were trading 2.2 percent higher, or 35 cents, at
> $15.79. Shares have traded in the past 52 weeks between $14.96 and
> $34.44.
>
> The Forest City-based company said in March it had cut employment by
> 9 percent, or about 300 people during the quarter to bring production
> in line with slowing sales.
>
> President Bob Olson told industry analysts that sales were down
> across the industry in the double digits for each month since the
> beginning of the year.
>
> He told analysts that the usual spring uptick in sales likely will be
> muted because of concerns over the economy. Olson said he hoped to
> see a turnaround by November.
>
> END OF ARTICLE
>
> Some of the other mfrs. that closed were smaller mfrs. with shakey
> management. Winnie is probably an exception. An experienced and
> usually well run company. If they cannot sell units who can?? I saw
> that Harley has laid off some staff and their sales are down. We
> should not take all of this lightly. I wonder how the high end RV
> mfrs. are doing: Foretravel, Newell and of course the most important
> of all BB???? I also wonder what is happening with other million
> dollar toys such as yachts?
>
> Bruce
> 1988 FC35
>