Mercury Marine hopeful even as parent company struggles

FOND DU LAC, Wis. -- Officials at Mercury Marine say the Wisconsin company is reassessing its strengths after its parent company in Illinois announced a manufacturing slowdown.

Mercury Marine -- based in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin -- makes boat engines as a subsidiary of Brunswick Corporation, based in Lake Forest.

Last week Brunswick said it will close a production facility in its boat-building division on July 1.

Shutting down the plant in Newberry, S.C., will eliminate 175 jobs.

Mercury spokesman Steve Fleming says he doesn't expect the shutdown to affect Mercury's sales. He says the company is actively working with dealers to make sure they keep stocking Mercury engines.

But Brunswick's chief executive isn't as optimistic. Dustan McCoy says the economy and fuel prices are taking their toll on consumer spending.