Major layoffs were announced at two major Iowa manufacturers Tuesday. Job cuts were announced at a Cedar Rapids factory that makes wind turbines. Clipper Windpower trimmed 90 jobs from its global workforce of 830.
A spokeswoman for the company told The Cedar Rapids Gazette and a local television station that "a good number" of the 90 layoffs were from the 390 people who work at the Cedar Rapids plant. The plant began making wind turbines in 2005.
John Deere executives also notified 120 workers at the company’s Davenport Works that they’ll go on "indefinite" layoff status in mid-February. The Davenport Works makes heavy industrial equipment, like dump trucks, and about 720 people have been on the payroll.
In addition to the pending layoffs, about 70 of those workers are being transferred to John Deere’s plant in East Moline which makes combines. Both companies said market conditions were to blame for the layoffs.