Kenworth Truck Company (Ohio) Announces Significant Layoffs

Catch the key phrase at the end of this article from ONNtv.com:

Ross County Job and Family Services were told Wednesday that the Kenworth Truck Company plant in Chillicothe would be making a significant cut to its staff, nearly 10 percent, ONN’s Denise Alex reported.

James Ford is the deputy director of Ross County's Job and Family Services.

"We made contact with the company to verify that 250 individuals were being laid off," Ford said.
Ford said that his agency is already preparing packets for those laid off employees to assist with unemployment, medical assistance and job re-training.

“We have to focus on the skills that are transferable. Their knowledge of mechanics. Their knowledge of details. The ability to perform tasks. How closely they need to be supervised. All those things are transferable into another position," Ford said.

Kenworth, which assembles trucks, said that despite having 73 straight years of profitability, demand has recently been down.

Yet another indicator that all of the talk of economic recovery is nothing but hot air. It stands to reason that if the economy was actually picking up, the company that makes the trucks that move the goods and services would not be seeing a decline in sales.


Bonus: Sounds like the dream is turning into a nightmare

Commercial Vehicle Group Lays Off 100 In North Carolina

Globalization claims another 100 victims. Here is WCNC.com with the details:

About 100 full-time and temporary employees are being laid off from the Commercial Vehicle Group manufacturing facility in Statesville as the company shifts production to be closer to its clients.

The New Albany, Ohio-based company notified state and local officials last week of the impending layoffs at the 2227 Salisbury Highway plant.

Commercial Vehicle Group makes components like suspension seat systems and door panels for heavy-duty trucks and other commercial vehicles. The company and many of its customers operate using the "just-in-time" production strategy, meaning they keep little inventory and need new shipments quickly.

So as truck manufacturers shift production out of the country, Commercial Vehicle Group is as well to supply them.

"Essentially, we're following where our customers take us," said John Hyre, spokesman for the company.

Love how the Corporate Flack tries to push the blame off on other companies that are doing the same thing. I thought the whole point of globalization is that you could make your shit anywhere in the world and then ship it to where you need it. Is this perhaps a tacit admission they they are being affected by rising oil prices and transportation costs?


Bonus: "It's just like a ride...maybe some time...they'll make it a ride...all over the world"

YRC Trucking Cutting 221 Jobs In Ohio

With the price of gasoline and diesel fuel skyrocketing again, I'm surprised we haven't seen more announcements like this one from the Dayton Business Journal:

YRC Worldwide is cutting jobs in Ohio as it cuts costs and reduces its presence through its trucking subsidiaries operating in the state, according to the Columbus Dispatch.

The Dispatch reported that YRC Freight notified Ohio officials it would cut 121 jobs from a trucking terminal in Columbus. The cuts include 64 drivers, 33 dock workers, 18 mechanics and six switchers, according to the report.

Last month the company said it was cutting 100 jobs in Akron.

Back in 2008 during the first major peak oil related spike in oil prices, there were a lot of stories in the news about distressed trucking businesses. Expect another such wave of stories if this current spike worsens as expected.


Bonus: The theme song for the silliest movie about trucks ever made