Here is an update on the announcement from Excel Industries regarding its layoffs, including information shared with its dealers. A KSN.com news story that preceded this announcement is posted below.
Excel Industries is announcing a reorganization that includes a reduction of its workforce at its manufacturing facility in Hesston, Kan., by approximately 270 production positions, effective immediately. The company will continue operating both a first and second shift.
Excel says the streamlining in its production facility follows 3 years of unprecedented growth as the company more than doubled in size. To meet marketplace needs, hundreds of employees were hired and Excel invested tens of millions of dollars in improvements to its manufacturing facility. While marketplace demand for the company’s turf care products continues to increase, the pace has normalized in 2017. After successfully increasing product inventory to meet demand, the company says it must now right-size the organization for sustainable growth.
Excel says its continues to grow at a modest pace, though the overall market for turf care products is flat or down in part due to adverse weather and economic conditions in many parts of the country. Sales of the recently introduced Maximum Duty Vehicle (MDV) are strong and production volumes will be unaffected by these changes, according to the company.
The company says its dealers will not be adversely affected by the reorganization of Excel’s Production. They expect enhanced organization and quality improvement as yields of the reorganization, which would be a plus for its distributors, dealers and end users.
In the statement, the company says, "Excel Industries made this very difficult decision after great deliberation. The company will sponsor a job fair and provide outplacement services, assistance with COBRA benefits, and transition payments to those affected by the reorganization. Excel Industries, Inc. remains committed to its employees, the local community and all industries its products serve."
HESSTON, Kan. — Excel Industries informed employees yesterday about a reorganization that includes a workforce reduction at its manufacturing facility. First and second shift employees were told to accept a FedEx delivery. The delivery contains a letter which will state whether or not that employee is laid off in the downsizing.
“Just mixed emotions on why they are doing this. It’s nobody’s fault but their own,” one employee said. A second-shift welder said he was upset about the lack of transparency. “It’s kind of like we knew it was happening, but we just didn’t know when…and they really weren’t upfront to us about the whole thing, you know they kind of just, everybody said they didn’t know anything and they kept it that way,” he said.
In a statement, Excel said: “Excel Industries, Inc. today will inform employees about a reorganization that includes a workforce reduction at its Hesston manufacturing facility. The company will issue a formal statement regarding the restructuring on June 22 after impacted employees have been officially notified.”
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