Share On Social
Briggs & Stratton Closing 2 Wisconsin Plants
Briggs & Stratton Corp. announced a plan to close its Jefferson and Watertown, Wis. manufacturing facilities in fiscal 2010. The power products segment facilities currently manufacture all portable generator, home standby generator and pressure washer products marketed and sold by the company. Briggs officials said the job reductions will occur by the end of the year and are partly the result of poor market conditions and a need to consolidate production at its factories.
About 100 salaried employees in Jefferson will be offered jobs at other Briggs locations, including Wauwatosa. Production at the Jefferson plant will be moved to other Briggs factories, including plants in Alabama and Georgia. The Jefferson facility will be sold, said Laura Timm, a company spokeswoman.
Outside the U.S., Briggs has benefited from low-cost manufacturing plants it opened in the Czech Republic and China. The Czech plants serve Briggs’ European market, including fast-growing Eastern European countries. According to some reports, Briggs has resisted moving all its manufacturing plants overseas because the U.S. plants can reportedly build an engine with 30 minutes of labor, making them very efficient. Having plants in the U.S. also gives the company a competitive advantage in being able to respond to U.S. hurricanes, snowstorms and other power-related emergencies.
Latest News
Maruyama Expands U.S. Footprint
Maruyama U.S., Inc., a subsidiary of Maruyama Mfg. Co., Inc. has expanded its warehousing...
This Old House’s Kevin O’Connor Will Deliver Keynote for Equip Attendees
Renowned This Old House host and home improvement expert, Kevin O’Connor, will deliver the keynote address, sponsored by Kress, at Equip focusing on energizing landscapers, contractors, dealers, and manufacturers and helping them identify ways to build their business. The trade show, which drew over 27,000 people last year from all 50 states and 46 countries, will be held October 15-18 at the Kentucky Exposition Center (KEC).
Yakta Unveils Full Production Line
Yakta, building upon 35 years of manufacturing excellence through its sister company Arrowquip, transfers a customer-focused approach to the zero-turn mower industry and has announced full-scale production of its range of zero-turn mowers. Fresh off the success of last year’s Equip Expo prototype display, Yakta’s production lineup, including the YXR 710, YXR 610 and YXR 410, with the YXR 910 soon to follow, boast industry-shattering durability, from their strong I-beam caster arm construction to their 7-ga. steel decks—strength that sets a new standard in mower resilience.