Plant Closings and Layoffs: Manufacturing is Leaving Oklahoma

  • Joe Wertz

Oklahoma has lost more than 20,000 manufacturing jobs since 2008, reports KOSU’s Ben Allen, who filed a story that highlights how the state’s employment is evolving.

Unfortunately, as Allen reports, the shift is bringing plant closings, layoffs and unemployment.

The KOSU piece examines the plight of the Mercury Mercruiser plant in Stillwater, which boasted about 400 employees in its heyday.

But then in 2009, the company wanted to cut costs. They managed to get major union concessions from their larger plant in Wisconsin, so they’ll soon move all their operations there.

Stillwater’s QuadGraphics, which prints magazines, is also closing. The 240 jobs there are going out-of-state, KOSU reports.

Since 2008, the state has lost more than 20-thousand jobs in the manufacturing industry. Oil and gas drilling has started to build payrolls up, but not enough to get back to previous levels, Allen reported, citing figures from the state Employment Security Commission.

KOSU also compiled a list of major manufacturing layoffs from 2010-11.