Briggs & Stratton Laying Off 200 Employees

Briggs & Stratton announced that a layoff will occur at its Auburn, Ala. facility starting Sept. 29. The layoff is expected to affect about 200 employees.  High inventory of generators at the retail level that use engines produced at the Auburn facility is cited as the cause.

“This is a direct effect of the seasonality of our business,” said Dave DeBaets, vice president and general manager of the large engine division.  “The inventory levels on portable generators at the retailers have been replenished from last season and no new major weather events have occurred to drive additional demand. We hope to see a turn around in this market in the near future but it is very difficult to determine exactly when that will be.”

Briggs & Stratton’s Auburn facility manufactures large engines for the outdoor power equipment industry.

Briggs & Stratton Corp.is a manufacturer of small, air-cooled engines for lawn and garden and other outdoor power equipment. The company also produces generators and pressure washers in the United States. Briggs & Stratton products are designed, manufactured, marketed and serviced in more than 100 countries on all seven continents.