Winnebago Industries will lay off 121 workers in Charles City, Waverly

Winnebago’s motorhome division will lay off 121 workers in Waverly and Charles City, the company told the Mason City Globe Gazette Thursday in an email.

"Roles at the Waverly and Charles City facilities will be relocated to the Forest City and Lake Mills campuses, and Winnebago remains committed to supporting affected employees through this transition,“ Communications Director Daniel Sullivan said in a message. "We are proud of our strong legacy and roots in Northern Iowa building RVs with unsurpassed quality."

The company reported the layoffs this week to Iowa Workforce Development's Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification system. According to the state notice, the layoffs will occur in September.

The move comes on the heels of 196 layoffs announced in May at four locations, including 128 in Forest City, 30 in Lake Mills, 20 in Charles City and 18 in Waverly.

Winnebago made smaller cuts in July and October 2024, idling around 30 workers. The July layoffs were a result of the company closing a facility in Charles City.

"This decision follows a comprehensive business assessment and reflects our proactive response to optimize our manufacturing footprint, enabling us to enhance operational efficiency and align production with consumer demand," Sullivan said in the message. "This consolidation allows Winnebago to streamline operations and focus on core manufacturing hubs in Forest City and Lake Mills, ensuring the long-term success and competitiveness of the Winnebago brand and while driving enhanced focus on innovation."

Winnebago Industries issued the following public statement:

“In response to recent cyclical shifts in the RV industry including decreased customer demand, elevated inventory levels, and other business considerations, we are balancing the workforce size within the Winnebago brand’s motorhome division. With this adjustment, we had to make the difficult decision to eliminate some roles at our Iowa campuses. We are assisting affected team members during this period of transition. We remain committed to the success of our flagship Winnebago brand and continue to be invested in the Iowa community."

It is unclear whether any Iowa workers will be recalled.

Winnebago moved its corporate headquarters from Forest City to Eden Prairie, Minnesota, in 2021. It retains most of its RV manufacturing in North Iowa, employing about 2,000 workers there. Including subsidiaries, the company maintains thousands of additional employees in Florida, Indiana, and Minnesota.