OSHKOSH, WI (WTAQ) - The Oshkosh Corporation says it will build a large new factory in Mexico.
But the company insists it will not be at the expense of its U.S. and Canadian employees -- and the plant will not make parts for its acclaimed U.S. military vehicles.
Still, the move could raise at least some eyebrows.
The near $80 million Mexican plant will employ 1,000 people, at a time when Oshkosh is cutting several hundred jobs in its Defense Division due to the winding down of the conflicts in the Middle East.
Oshkosh spokesman John Daggett said the firm has had a joint venture with a Mexican company for 35 years -- and the new plant will be fully managed by the Oshkosh Corporation. It's expected to open next spring, and will make components for things like garbage trucks, concrete mixers, and construction aerial lifts.
Oshkosh officials say the plant is needed to keep up with equipment demands since the end of the Great Recession. They say the new Mexican plant offers cost, capacity, and logistical benefits for products with lower profit margins.
(Story courtesy of Wheeler News Service)