Jayco to close new Wakarusa unit

By JIM MEENAN, Tribune Staff Writer

Tools

By Beth Boehne

Story Created: Dec 8, 2008 at 2:40 PM EST

Story Updated: Dec 8, 2008 at 2:40 PM EST

WAKARUSA — The Entegra Coach subsidiary that Jayco Corp. started in April will close its facilities in Wakarusa in February, Jayco announced Monday.

The move will affect 134 people, costing more than 100 their jobs, according to Sid Johnson, director of marketing for Jayco. The rest of the workers likely will transfer to Middlebury, where Jayco is based.

Entegra Coach products, which include Class A motorhomes and luxury fifth-wheel towable products, will continue as a separate brand with separate sales and product development staffs, Johnson said.

Manufacturing, marketing, accounting and human resources departments will move to Middlebury, Johnson said.

Derald Bontrager, Jayco president and chief operating officer, said the action "was taken as a result of the cruel impact that negative economic conditions have had on the RV industry."

Some of those affected by Monday’s announced layoff likely had been laid off by Travel Supreme Corp., which closed earlier this year, costing more than 300 people their jobs, Johnson said.

In April, Jayco created Entegra Coach to be based in Wakarusa in the former Travel Supreme facilities.

The credit crunch was a major factor in the move, Johnson said.

"We sincerely regret the hardship it will place on the Entegra Coach employees and their families," Bontrager said in the release.

For more on this story, see Tuesday’s South Bend Tribune.

Staff writer Jim Meenan:
jmeenan@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6342

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