Aug 18, 2008
In a recent article posted by La Cross Reporter Ryan Stotts, he reports that industry leaderS & S Cycle cuts 60 workers at it’s Viola facility. Company President Brett Smith announced Friday that 60 workers have been cut this month through voluntary separation and layoffs. “This was a very, very hard decision personally“. Smith blamed the economic slump for a downturn in sales of the company’s high-performance engine parts and engines for motorcycles. “In the grand scheme of things, we make a product that people don’t need to have,†he said.
S & S now employs a total of about 195 at both sites, he said. “We’re doing everything we can to become lean and consolidate our efforts for future long-term employment,†Smith said. “We don’t expect to be in this position forever.†The company’s core business of bolt-on, high-performance, after-market components still is strong and growing, he said, but S & S had to take a pragmatic approach in an economic environment that’s seeing less disposable income. “It’s a very unfortunate decision, coming on the heels of our 50th anniversary,†Smith said. The S & S event, which drew an estimated 28,000 motorcycle enthusiasts to La Crosse in late June, played no role in the cutbacks, Smith said. Despite rumors, the cost of hosting the event was completely covered by sales of the 50 custom motorcycles made for the competition, he said, and the support of the community.
