Harley-Davidson to close Wauwatosa plant this month; Buell to close East Troy plant for two months

Ron Lieback
AllAboutBikes.com Content Editor/Staff Writer

Harley-Davidson will close its Wauwatosa plant in Wisconsin September 25 until the end of the fourth quarter of the fiscal year or longer, according to the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development. An estimated 50 people will be laid off, some permanent.

Some Wauwatosa workers have seniority over employees at the nearby Franklin Distribution Center, and can “bump” those workers. This can lead to many layoffs at the Franklin site also. A spokesman for The Motor Company reported both plants will permanently close by the end of next year.

Earlier this year, H-D reported a cut of around 600 jobs at both Wisconsin plants. Another plant that is facing shut down is the York plant in Pennsylvania. H-D is looking to modernize the York factory, or move it to another state where it can operate more efficiently.

All these changes come after H-D reported sales being down more than 30 percent, and second-quarter profits plunging 91 percent.

The Buell Motorcycle Company in East Troy, Wis., will also take a two-month “holiday shutdown”, expected to begin Nov. 2 and reopen Jan. 4, 2010. Fifty workers will be affected by the shutdown at 2799 Buell Drive.

Additional information will be reported as it’s released.