By Josh Weinhold, Truth Staff
Keystone RV Co. this morning laid off nearly 10 percent of its workforce across 15 county manufacturing plants.
Ron Fenech, president and chief executive officer of the Goshen-based company, said the company is laying off 290 workers, effective immediately. About 2,600 workers will remain after the move, he said.
"We as an industry will be facing some conditions we haven't seen for 15 years," Fenech said.
A combination of a slowdown in retail sales and dealers reducing inventory led to the company's decision, he said.
The announcement comes less than three weeks after Monaco Coach announced the layoff of 1,400 Elkhart County workers.
"We're all swimming in the same ocean," Fenech said. "So to a certain extent, when the water level goes down, it affects all of the companies."
Fenech said he hopes that future layoffs can be avoided, but the market remains unpredictable.
"The future looks fairly safe for them," he said. "However, we have to continue to react to the amount of demand that's out there.