Winnebago to shut down for a week

[Route 66]

Gathered from the internet;

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Winnebago Industries Inc.'s plants will shut down next week, a spokesperson for the Forest City, Iowa-based motorhome manufacturer confirmed Friday (April 18).

The Forest City Summit reported that the shutdown will impact all three plants in Forest City, Hampton and Charles City, although one line will remain open in Charles City, Kelli Harms said.

"We have to make adjustments on what the market is telling us," she said. "The RV market is slow right now."

Harms said the company makes productions adjustments daily, but fuel prices and other factors are currently hurting sales.

"Interest rates have come down but we haven't seen that translating," she said.

The shutdown comes about a month after Winnebago announced it laid off 200 employees. Harms said no other layoffs have taken place since.

Around 3,000 people work at the three plants. Employee benefits will continue next week, but workers won't be paid. Harms said employees can choose to collect unemployment for the week.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[Route 66]

Gathered from the internet;

Winnebago Industries Inc.'s plants will shut down next week, a spokesperson for the Forest City, Iowa-based motorhome manufacturer confirmed Friday (April 18).

The Forest City Summit reported that the shutdown will impact all three plants in Forest City, Hampton and Charles City, although one line will remain open in Charles City, Kelli Harms said.

"We have to make adjustments on what the market is telling us," she said. "The RV market is slow right now."

Harms said the company makes productions adjustments daily, but fuel prices and other factors are currently hurting sales.

"Interest rates have come down but we haven't seen that translating," she said.

The shutdown comes about a month after Winnebago announced it laid off 200 employees. Harms said no other layoffs have taken place since.

Around 3,000 people work at the three plants. Employee benefits will continue next week, but workers won't be paid. Harms said employees can choose to collect unemployment for the week.

[Rocket Heart]

I think this is just the tip of the iiceberg. Things (oil) has to turn around real quick if we are to stay out of a deep recession - world wide recssion.

[wagonmaster2]

Route 66 -
I knew Winnebago had a plant in Forest City, Iowa, but where is Hampton and Charles City? Do they do any service work in those two locations, or is Forest City the only place?
Do you know is the service side will shut down also or just the production line? I'm sure people have made appointments all thru the Spring and Summer.
Wagonmaster2

[Ding-a-ling]

The Hampton plant, south of Forest City, is where they make all of their fiberglass products. To the east, the Charles City facility manufactures parts and some sub-systems are assembled and then sent to the main plant.

Repairs are only done at Forest City and I doubt that end will be affected.

[Izzyblueye]

I was just there last week. They were turning people away because they said they were booked in service solid for two weeks.

[wagonmaster2]

I'm surprised it was just 2 weeks. Two years ago when we were there in November, we had made the appointment back in September because they said they were usually 6-8 weeks in arears. Our appointment was made 4 weeks ago for this week. Hope they keep their appointments this week while closed. And hope their service quality doesn't suffer because of the closing.
Wagonmaster2

[Izzyblueye]

WAGONMASTER2: Two weeks was as soon as they could get unscheduled work in. How long it would take them after that, I have no idea. My complicated, involved, repair took just 3 weeks, which really surprised me, considering the extent of the tear down and rebuild. Which included a new slide and all new seals.