RV Layoffs Hit Lane County

Story submitted by Yvonne of YES Mobile Catering, Inc. - Goshen, Indiana
Original story link http://www.kval.com/news/16663601.html


JUNCTION CITY - Tough times for the RV industry and even tougher times for about a hundred employees of Junction City's Country Coach.

The company laid off eight percent of its work staff this week. Now, many are surprised.
RV's are big in Lane County. In fact in 2005, the local RV industry projected a 19 percent growth rate over ten years. Well, that hasn't happened and now companies and workers are scrambling to fill the gaps.

"I got put on the list, says Matt Yoxall, a former Country Coach employee. "Not much I can do about it. Gotta go find another job." Yoxall is just one of about 100 employees laid off from Country Coach this week. "A lot of people are really on edge wondering if they're going to be put on the list," he says. "They let a lot of people who'd been there for a long time with good experience go today."

Reports show the RV industry tanked in January. With fuel prices hitting record high's, companies like this one are seeing luke warm sales and are leaving folks like Yoxall in the cold.

Meanwhile, the company's VP of marketing, Matt Howard was out of town but he did give us this statement. "There is a decreased demand because of buyer confidence. It's unfortunate but this has turned into the most ambitious time in our history." Today, Howard is at a trade show in Atlanta ambitiously drumming up business.

And I found the town of Junction City is optimistic all it could take is a little sunshine for the grey skies over the RV industry to clear. Jenifer Garwood, the General Manager of Camping World says, "I think it's going to bounce back again. I think people will get more confident when the gas prices go back down again. It will be a big change when summer comes."

Thanks for the story Yvonne!!

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