Mercury starts moving work from Oklahoma plant
FOND DU LAC — To know what it's like for a community to be on the winning end of a company's decision to consolidate operations into one location, just look to <NOBR style="COLOR: darkgreen; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" id=itxt_nobr_0_0>Mercury
</NOBR> Marine.
The boat-maker recently began moving work from its Stillwater, Okla., facility to Fond du Lac now that the county's agreement for a multimillion-dollar loan to the company has been finalized.
Additionally, the estimated 500 laid-off Mercury Marine workers has shrunk to fewer than 100, thanks to buyouts and job call-backs, said Brenda Hicks-Sorensen, president of the Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation.
"The marine industry still has challenges, but we think there's some optimism there," she said.
Hicks-Sorensen led efforts last summer to keep Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac. Ultimately, the company was presented a $53 million economic assistance package to keep 1,500 jobs in Fond du Lac.
In September, the majority of Mercury's 850 International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 1947 members agreed to contract concessions to preserve local manufacturing operations. The vote also meant work in casting, machining and assembly from Mercury's plant Stillwater, Okla., and that the company's global headquarters would both be in Fond du Lac.
Hicks-Sorensen said more than 50 percent of the casting operations at Mercury's Stillwater plant has moved to Fond du Lac.
"They still are on target to have everything from Stillwater here in 2011," Hicks-Sorensen said.
The state and local economic assistance package mandates job growth in Fond du Lac.
The movement of the work to Fond du Lac is on target with the plan Mercury outlined in the fall, spokesman Steve Fleming said.
A 38-page document that spells out an agreement between Fond du Lac County and Mercury Marine was signed Dec. 24, provided $20 million to the manufacturer.
The county's $50 million overall loan to Mercury Marine will be funded with a first-ever county sales <NOBR style="COLOR: darkgreen; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" id=itxt_nobr_14_0>tax
</NOBR>, which starts April 1.
The Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors approved a half percent tax on taxable purchases in September. Cash registers around the county will need to be adjusted to 5.5 percent on April 1.
Laurie Ritger writes for The Reporter, Fond du Lac
FOND DU LAC — To know what it's like for a community to be on the winning end of a company's decision to consolidate operations into one location, just look to <NOBR style="COLOR: darkgreen; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" id=itxt_nobr_0_0>Mercury
The boat-maker recently began moving work from its Stillwater, Okla., facility to Fond du Lac now that the county's agreement for a multimillion-dollar loan to the company has been finalized.
Additionally, the estimated 500 laid-off Mercury Marine workers has shrunk to fewer than 100, thanks to buyouts and job call-backs, said Brenda Hicks-Sorensen, president of the Fond du Lac County Economic Development Corporation.
"The marine industry still has challenges, but we think there's some optimism there," she said.
Hicks-Sorensen led efforts last summer to keep Mercury Marine in Fond du Lac. Ultimately, the company was presented a $53 million economic assistance package to keep 1,500 jobs in Fond du Lac.
In September, the majority of Mercury's 850 International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local 1947 members agreed to contract concessions to preserve local manufacturing operations. The vote also meant work in casting, machining and assembly from Mercury's plant Stillwater, Okla., and that the company's global headquarters would both be in Fond du Lac.
Hicks-Sorensen said more than 50 percent of the casting operations at Mercury's Stillwater plant has moved to Fond du Lac.
"They still are on target to have everything from Stillwater here in 2011," Hicks-Sorensen said.
The state and local economic assistance package mandates job growth in Fond du Lac.
The movement of the work to Fond du Lac is on target with the plan Mercury outlined in the fall, spokesman Steve Fleming said.
A 38-page document that spells out an agreement between Fond du Lac County and Mercury Marine was signed Dec. 24, provided $20 million to the manufacturer.
The county's $50 million overall loan to Mercury Marine will be funded with a first-ever county sales <NOBR style="COLOR: darkgreen; FONT-SIZE: 100%; FONT-WEIGHT: normal" id=itxt_nobr_14_0>tax
The Fond du Lac County Board of Supervisors approved a half percent tax on taxable purchases in September. Cash registers around the county will need to be adjusted to 5.5 percent on April 1.
Laurie Ritger writes for The Reporter, Fond du Lac