Grede <link _top>Foundries said it is laying off more than 60 of about 300 workers, the fourth round of layoffs this year for the St. Cloud auto parts maker.
Cuts will affect positions across the plant, said John Haas, vice president of operations. The business has suffered from a 30 percent to 40 percent drop in orders in the last six months.
Haas also said the business will move from running five eight-hour shifts to four 10-hour workdays. That should help the company save money on energy and improve the plant’s overall efficiency, he said.
He said he hopes the business will not have to do any more layoffs. The layoffs were not permanent and they did not create severance package deals for employees, Haas said. If and when the economy turns around, he expects to bring back employees and the regular five-day workweek.
