JLG cuts 220 jobs in the US

JLG Industries decided in the last week of August to make additional layoffs of its North American production workforce.

The company, part of the Oshkosh Corporation, said it is reducing by 220 its workforce at factories in Pennsylvania, Ohio and North Dakota. The layoffs are "indefinite" and take effect 3 October 2008.

Craig Paylor, JLG president and executive vice president of Oshkosh Corporation, said, "We have continued to face very difficult conditions in the construction market... as well as a cautious buying environment with our customers in North America and Western Europe. Since late July, when we realigned our production schedule and announced a reduction of approximately 600 positions, we have seen more deterioration in product demand."

Mr Paylor said the reduction was unavoidable and that "...with the continued deterioration of the nonresidential marketplace as well as the upcoming seasonal impact on our largest market segments, we must remain conservative.

"We've weathered market cycles like this before - the last time in 2001 and 2002 - and view this downturn as temporary. Then and now, we made the tough decisions required to face the situation, and come back stronger than ever when the market rebounded."