Kinze Manufacturing lays off 215

WILLIAMSBURG - The sharp decline in corn and soybean prices has claimed additional manufacturing jobs in Eastern Iowa.

Kinze Manufacturing in Williamsburg on Wednesday laid off 215 people in its office and factory workforce. The company employs about 850, with the majority working in Williamsburg.

Kinze, founded in 1965, makes row crop planting equipment up to 36 rows and grain auger carts up to 1,500 bushels.

The company, in a news release, said the job cuts were a direct response to the slowdown in agricultural equipment sales.

'Earlier this year, we implemented a 30-hour workweek as a temporary measure to try to avoid permanent cuts, as we watched industry trends and analyzed the business environment,” the company said. 'Despite our efforts, the current demand does not support our present staffing level.”

Kinze said the layoffs announced Wednesday will reduce the privately owned company's office and factory workforce to a level that supports its anticipated demand and will allow its remaining employees to return to a full-time workweek.

Kinze said affected workers will receive severance packages, including compensation and benefits. The company said it also will work with area employers, where possible, to help the affected employees find different jobs.

Kinze laid off 21 employees in September, citing slow demand for its products.

Kinze is the latest farm equipment manufacturer to significantly reduce its workforce as corn and soybean prices plummet.

Deere & Co. in February and March let go more than 900 employees in Iowa and Illinois, including 565 in Waterloo. The furloughs come after the Waterloo plant laid off 460 employees in October, primarily in two areas - tractor cab assembly operations (about 240) and drivetrain operations (about 195).