- April 29, 2024
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Weak sales of Brunswick Corp.’s large boat products will force the Lake Forest, Ill.-based company to close its Sea Ray plant in Knoxville, Tenn., which could lead to more jobs at the Palm Coast plant.
Brunswick Chairman and CEO Dustan McCoy said Wednesday in a news release that the company will continue to evolve with the changing marine marketplace.
“Our continuing challenge is to adopt our brands, models and technologies to best appeal to today’s boating consumers, as well as the shifting global marine marketplace,” McCoy said.
Sea Ray and Bayliner boats were produced at the Knoxville plant, which employed approximately 225 full-time employees.
Bayliner will make its new facility in Brazil the center of its cruiser business. The models that were being made in Knoxville will be moved to either Palm Coast or another Brunswick Boat Group plan in Vonore, Tenn., the company said.
The Knoxville plant will be close by the end of 2012.
Despite laying off more than 150 employees over the past two years, Sea Ray remains one of the county’s largest employers. As of Thursday, the Palm Coast plant was staffed by approximately 365 full-time positions, according to Dan Kubera, director of media relations and corporate communications for Brunswick Corp.
In addition, Palm Coast’s plant will be integrating two Sea Ray Sundancer models into its production mix, Kubera said.
“What this will mean for future employment at Palm Coast is not yet known, and will be determined as the process progresses,” Kubera said.
Kubera noted that the company will work with the Knoxville plant employees who might be able to transfer to Palm Coast or other locations.
In May, Sea Ray announced 65 more layoffs. That came just months after 100 employees were laid off in September 2010.
Read previous coverage of Sea Ray boats here.
