Husqvarna to close Beatrice, Neb. mower plant and cut nearly 400 jobs, operations moving to SC

Husqvarna will close Beatrice, Neb. mower plant

BEATRICE, Neb. — Outdoor power equipment maker Husqvarna AB said Thursday that it plans to close its southeast Nebraska mower plant and move operations to Orangeburg, S.C., later this year.

The changes will jeopardize 390 jobs at the Beatrice, Neb., plant. They are part of a larger reorganization Husqvarna announced last fall.

The Swedish company says final assembly operations will end in Beatrice during the second half of 2010. It wasn’t immediately clear whether all the Beatrice jobs would be eliminated, and Husqvarna officials did not immediately respond to a message left Thursday afternoon.

Husqvarna is one of the largest employers in Beatrice and has had some operations there since 1999.

Gage County Economic Development Director Terri Dageforde says the closing will be devasting to Beatrice.

“We will work hard with the state and city officials to turn this around,” Dageforde said.

Mayor Dennis Schuster said he was shocked by Husqvarna’s decision because the plant was running two shifts on most days, and the company had consolidated production of several brands to Beatrice.

“By all appearances, they seemed to be very sound and stable here,” Schuster said.

The company’s current 274,000-square-foot plant opened in 2005.

Husqvarna produces lawn mowers, chain saws and powered garden equipment. According to its Web site, it employees 15,000 workers worldwide.

Online:

Husqvarna AB: www.husqvarna.com