Brunswick to idle Sea Ray boat plant, cut jobs

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Lake Forest-based boat maker Brunswick Corp. says it will idle one of its Sea Ray boat plants near Knoxville and eliminate jobs as part of an effort to reduce production and expenses.

Work at the Riverview plant will wind down during the first quarter of 2009.

The company said it would try to transfer as many of the 300 production and support positions at the plant to the two other nearby Knoxville and Vonore manufacturing facilities. Brunswick employs about 1,500 people in the Knoxville area.

In addition to ending production at the Riverview plant, Brunswick plans to reduce up to 275 positions throughout its Sea Ray manufacturing and product development segment and at Sea Ray's Knoxville headquarters by Friday.

The company has scheduled at least a week of production furloughs at each Sea Ray manufacturing facility in Tennessee and Florida each month through the end of June.

Brunswick manufactures boats, marine engines, fitness equipment, bowling and billiards products.