Albemarle cuts jobs
EDENTON, N.C. – To reduce costs and size its staff appropriately for market demand, Albemarle Boats eliminated 35 jobs yesterday, said Dan Kubera, director of public and financial relations for Albemarle parent Brunswick Corporation.
The economy, including high gas prices and the housing slump, has affected consumer confidence and eroded discretionary spending, Kubera said.
“As a result, we must conservatively manage our inventory, keep our organization lean and efficient, and focus investment and resources toward activity that will help us emerge from the current slowdown in the United States a stronger and more profitable organization,” Kubera said.
The job reduction comes as no surprise given the warnings Brunswick Chairman and CEO Dustan E. McCoy gave during Brunswick’s first quarter 2008 earnings conference call.
“Given these market conditions, we will continue to cut production versus 2007 in the second quarter,” McCoy said during the call. “All this speaks to the need to continue pursuing efficiency gains.”
A little over 100 positions remain in the boat builder’s workforce.
“We continue to act on several internal fronts to protect the overall health of our business,” Kubera said. “Where necessary, we will transition talent throughout the organization to maintain our core work force and the skill sets.”
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