AM General 'optimistic' about futureDespite layoffs looming at Mishawaka’s AM General plant, the company says it remains optimistic about what its doing and where it’s headed.
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“Our new president and CEO, Charlie Hall, is working hand-in-hand with our chairman, Jim Armour, as we continue to produce Humvees for U.S. and international customers and attract new business opportunities,” said spokeswoman Celeste Ross.
On Friday, the company announced it would begin eliminating 300 jobs because of reduced demand for Humvees for the U.S. military.
“This is kind of a natural draw down from being out of Iraq, primarily, and not using the vehicles as much in Afghanistan,” said 2nd District Congressman Joe Donnelly. “And so … it's not that the vehicle is not performing, it's that its numbers are not needed as high anymore.”
Ross said the company remains optimistic for a number of reasons. She said AM General is actively involved with the Army and Marine Corps’ Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program; a competition to engineer and manufacture a new generation military vehicle. The company is also developing enhancements for use in new vehicle production, and it’s involved in improving Humvees that have already been manufactured.
In addition, Ross said AM General is optimistic that it could add hundreds of jobs as commercial production starts on a wheelchair accessible vehicle known as MV-1s that run on compressed natural gas.
The company brought back some employees in 2010 to prepare the facility for production.
But Donnelly echoed Ross regarding hope for the future.
“They have very, very strong opportunities on the commercial side that they're waiting to hear on, so the number of employed has dropped some right now, but we're hopeful in the next year or two it'll come back up.”