EDENTON, N.C. – To reduce costs and size its staff
appropriately for market demand, Albemarle Boats
eliminated 35 jobs yesterday, said Dan Kubera, director
of public and financial relations for Albemarle parent
Brunswick Corporation.
The economy, including high gas prices and the housing
slump, has affected consumer confidence and eroded
discretionary spending, Kubera said.
“As a result, we must conservatively manage our
inventory, keep our organization lean and efficient, and
focus investment and resources toward activity that will
help us emerge from the current slowdown in the United
States a stronger and more profitable organization,”
Kubera said.
The job reduction comes as no surprise given the
warnings Brunswick Chairman and CEO Dustan E. McCoy gave
during Brunswick’s first quarter 2008 earnings
conference call.
“Given these market conditions, we will continue to cut
production versus 2007 in the second quarter,” McCoy
said during the call. “All this speaks to the need to
continue pursuing efficiency gains.”
A little over 100 positions remain in the boat builder’s
workforce.
“We continue to act on several internal fronts to
protect the overall health of our business,” Kubera
said. “Where necessary, we will transition talent
throughout the organization to maintain our core work
force and the skill sets.”
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