Monday, November 11

Knutson Construction lays off 40, closes Iowa workplace

A short article from

Dive Brief

The professional stated it is moving its tactical technique and will continue to serve Iowa customers out of its 3 areas in Minnesota.

Released Sept. 10, 2024

A river view of Iowa City, Iowa. dangarneau by means of Getty Images

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Dive Brief:

  • Minneapolis-based Knutson Construction is shutting the doors of its Iowa City, Iowa, workplace on Oct. 3, according to a WARN see the home builder submitted with the state.
  • As an outcome of the closure, the business will likewise lay off 40 workers, according to the notification. John Curry, Knutson’s CEO, informed Construction Dive in a declaration that the choice was the ideal one for business as it moves its tactical concerns.
  • Knutson will still carry out operate in Iowa, where the business will begin 2 brand-new jobs this fall, Curry stated in the declaration. It will likewise preserve its 3 Minnesota areas, out of Mankato, Rochester and its head office in Minneapolis.

Dive Insight:

The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act needs companies with 100 or more staff members to supply a minimum of 60 days’ notification before a plant closing or mass layoff that can impact 50 or more employees, according to the Department of Labor. Iowa’s laws are more stringent– they need business with 25 or more staff members to provide a minimum of 30 days notification, according to the state.

Curry stated that the greatest top priority over the next numerous months is to make certain the shift goes efficiently for customers and partners.

“This was a challenging choice as we comprehend the effect it has on our 40 staff members based [at] this place, however it was the ideal choice for business as we move our business’s tactical method to permit brand-new chances to grow and broaden,” Curry stated in the declaration.

Knutson has a deep existence in the Midwest– Thor Knutson, a Norwegian immigrant who developed roots in the location, began the business in 1911, according to Knutson’s site. The business reported $502 million in income in 2023 on Engineering News-Record’s list of the leading industrial specialists in the nation.

The closure comes in the middle of a tasks report that revealed proof of a small softening in need for industrial building and construction labor positions. Around 2.9% of all building and construction positions went unfilled in July, a smaller sized share of open areas than June’s 3.5%, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics information launched recently.

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