Welland, Ontario - Deere & Co. is closing its only Canadian plant here, throwing 800 union members out of work by the end of next year.
They make Gators, rotary mowers and front-end loaders for farm tractors.
Only a few engineers will keep their jobs, and they will be moved to the administrative offices at Grimsby.
The Gator manufacturing will be consolidated at Horicon, Wisconsin, and the mowers and front-end loaders will be made in Mexico.
Deere says it reached its decision over a long period of time and blamed the rising value of the Canadian dollar plus long-term company efforts to find ways to reduce costs.
The workers are members of the Canadian Auto Workers.
Deeres is the largest manufacturing plant in Welland and it buys materials and services from a number of local businesses.
The company says it will write off $90 million in its fourth quarter to cover the after-tax costs of closing the plant.
Deere closing Ontario plant
- Published on September 4, 2008
- Published on May 5, 2010
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Jim Romahn
Deere & Co. is closing its only Canadian plant here, throwing 800 union members out of work by the end of next year.
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