HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy is recalling employees laid off from a Kansas manufacturing plant last year.
The Hutchinson News reported last Friday that the company expects to hire an additional 100 people in the next six months at the Hutchinson plant, which makes parts of wind turbines.
The company laid off 140 employees last year, citing a reduction in orders.
Siemens’ Hutchinson plant spokeswoman Myca Welch says only employees who were laid off can apply now.
“The hiring will be gradual, but I can say that we expect to go back to a two-shift operation by August,” Welch stated in an email. “The first orientation is scheduled for April 9.”
“Since last fall, we have made significant capital improvements to retool our facility in an effort to support the assembly of the SG 3.4-132 wind turbine,” a brief release from the company Friday morning stated. “This is a major milestone in that Hutchinson is the first factory to build products from the company’s combined portfolio.”
German-based Siemens AG opened the Hutchinson plant in 2010 and reached peak employment of more than 400 workers by 2012. There have been two mass layoffs since the peak, but the plant had averaged about 300 workers.
The August layoffs followed the merger in April 2017 of Siemens Wind and Spanish manufacturer Gamesa, shifting management of the company to Spain.
Employment is currently at around 180, plus one contractor, Welch said.
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Information from: The Hutchinson (Kan.) News, http://www.hutchnews.com
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