Trailer Truck Manufacturer to Layoff

Great Dane Trailers will be laying off 108 workers at its plant here starting October 17. In a letter to the state of Indiana, the trailer truck manufacturer said the layoffs are expected to be temporary, but didn’t know for certain when workers would be called back. The dramatic economic downturn and the credit crunch has hindered the ability of many of Great Dane’s smaller customers to get financing, resulting in a large drop in demand, the letter said. Also, the company said four major clients have canceled orders, moved order dates farther out or changed their order to a different type of trailer, meaning the order will go to a different plant within the company. Great Dane officials say the result is 3,100 trailer orders lost at the Terre Haute factory. Georgia-based Great Dane has numerous plants throughout the Midwest, including one in Brazil, Indiana. It is unclear if the company will announce layoffs at any of its other plants.