Oshkosh Corp. this week said its defense division plans to reduce its workforce in Oshkosh by about 700 hourly positions beginning in mid-June 2013 and will reduce about 200 salaried positions through July. After the layoffs, Oshkosh will employ about 2,800 defense-related employees in Oshkosh.
The company expects domestic military vehicle product volumes to decline significantly as the year progresses because of the reduction in U.S. Defense budgets and a return to peacetime spending levels. Daily production volumes are expected to decline by approximately 30 percent this summer.
“These were difficult but necessary decisions,” said John Urias, Oshkosh Corp. executive vice president and president of defense. “When other business segments of Oshkosh and many companies in the U.S. were enduring layoffs, pay cuts and furloughs during the Great Recession, Oshkosh Defense was hiring employees and retaining jobs, which ended up helping many people manage through that difficult period. However, circumstances have now changed.”
Based in Oshkosh, Wis., Oshkosh Corp. is parent company of aerial work platform manufacturer JLG Industries.
