Winnebago Industries plans to resume RV production in early May, the company announced today.
Newmar, Grand Design RV and Winnebago Motorhomes are slated to resume production the week of May 4. Winnebago Towables is pegged for a return date the week of May 18. The dates are not set in stone and could change depending on the evolving pandemic situation and guidance from public health officials.
Winnebago Industries currently plans to resume production at certain non-RV locations next week. Each business within Winnebago Industries currently continues to perform essential activities for its dealers and end customers, including remote retail support for dealers, along with technical care, warranty administration and parts fulfillment.
The following high-level overview of production resumption plans is subject to change; the company will continue to evaluate the operating environment and guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and state and federal governments:
- Chris-Craft – week of April 13
- Specialty Vehicles – week of April 13
- Newmar – week of May 4
- Grand Design RV – week of May 4
- Winnebago Motorhomes – week of May 4
- Winnebago Towables – week of May 18
As the company resumes operations in select areas, all employees are required to adhere to applicable safety protocols whether working physically on campus or offsite. Winnebago Industries is taking additional precautions to ensure the safety of its employees, including but not limited to appropriate social distancing measures, strict sanitization practices and daily employee health checks.
Cost Containment and Financial Management
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, Winnebago Industries has implemented significant cost containment and financial management measures. The company continues to take appropriate steps to maintain and enhance its financial flexibility, including the following preemptive actions tailored to each business unit and enterprise function, related to hourly and salaried personnel:
- Reductions including furloughs and layoffs
- Pay adjustments
- Contractor reductions
Production employees with return dates after April 13 will be on unpaid leave during the time off but will retain medical and dental insurance benefits. The company will be paying the employee portion of the medical and dental insurance premiums through the end of April. Any voluntary benefit premium will be the responsibility of the employee.
“The coronavirus pandemic continues to create a very challenging economic environment for the industries in which we compete,” Winnebago Industries President and CEO Michael Happe said. “Our top priorities during these uncertain times remain the health of our employees and the financial stability of our company.”
Winnebago Industries suspended production the week of March 23. Following that decision, Happe said, the company has monitored the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the related financial impact on end consumers, channel partners and suppliers to determine a reasonable time to return to work safely.
“In addition, we have continued to take the financial management steps we believe are necessary to ensure the strength of our business long-term,” he said. “Finally, despite these challenging times, we are confident the outdoor recreation industry will rebound in the future, and as such, we will carefully activate our leading brands and sound strategies against available demand as it gradually recovers.”
