Manitou Group (EPA: MTU) announced Wednesday it will close its manufacturing and distribution facility in Waco, Texas, and consolidate most of its U.S. production in South Dakota.
The shutdown will eliminate 148 jobs at the Waco facility, which assembled masted forklift trucks and articulated loaders.
The closure is aimed at “strengthening the Manitou Group position in the U.S.,” according to a release.
“Our priority now is to assist our 148 employees based in Waco with job searches, including providing resume assistance and connecting employees to resources offered by the Texas Workforce Commission,” said Alexandre Caharel, vice president of the compact and articulated loaders division.
Manitou’s Waco plant opened in 1981. The 124,800-square-foot facility also served as a logistics and distribution center for Manitou’s dealers and OEM customers throughout the U.S.
France-based Manitou Group was founded in 1958. The company manufactures and distributes heavy equipment for the construction, agriculture and industrial sectors. The company has 37 manufacturing, logistics and sales facilities and more than 4,000 employees worldwide.
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