ROTHSCHILD - Wausau Homes has eliminated 79 more jobs, and its sister company WH Transportation will cut 49 positions, the company confirmed Thursday.
The Rothschild-based company is aligning its work force to fit its current amount of business, according to a statement.
WH Transportation will stop serving outside customers, resulting in the need to also eliminate jobs.
"Some very difficult decisions had to be made. It is ever more difficult because of the quality of the individuals being released from the company," Tom Schuette, co-owner of Wausau Homes, said in the statement. "We care deeply for them and their families.
Wausau Homes, which manufactures homes using modules and components in its Rothschild factory, previously eliminated 81 positions this January and 44 jobs in February 2008. The company had cited the continued downturn in the U.S. housing market in announcing the 2008 layoffs.
In addition, WH Transportation Co., a trucking company that delivers housing components for sister companies Wausau Homes and Sterling Building Systems, in June announced the reduction of 340 jobs across three states.
Rothschild Village President Neal Torney said the layoffs could have a ripple effect as displaced workers cut spending, but he is optimistic for the future.
"I'm confident that the Schuettes will do everything they can to bring the company back to what it was," Torney said. "And hopefully, the employees will find themselves back at Wausau Homes again in the future."
Wausau Homes will provide severance packages, employee counseling assistance, career counseling and dislocated-worker services to those who lost their jobs, the company says.
The company rebounded after similar job cuts and restructuring occurred for Wausau Homes in the decline of the housing industry in the 1980s. Under Marv Schuette, the company grew into an 800-employee, $250 million operation.
Marv Schuette died in September 2007, at age 75.
"Our father's wisdom and business savvy has given us the model to get through these tough times," said Jay Schuette, co-owner.
The company said it hopes to call some former employees back to work, once the economy stabilizes.
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