WILLIAMSBURG, Iowa — Another agriculture and farm equipment manufacturer in Iowa announced nearly 200 layoffs on Thursday.
Kinze Manufacturing has laid off 193 employees at its headquarters in Williamsburg, according to a press release.
It comes after John Deere has announced over 1,500 layoffs in the last three months.
Both companies cite economic challenges in the agriculture sector as the reason for the layoffs.
Around 23.6% of Kinze's workforce in Williamsburg was cut, based on numbers provided in the release. The company says no other reductions are planned at this time.
"We deeply regret the necessity of this action,” Kinze President Susanne Veatch said in the release. “This decision was not made lightly, and it is a direct response to current ag market realities.”
The layoffs went into effect on Thursday with employees notified on Wednesday, Iowa WARN notices show. 815 employees worked at the Williamsburg facility prior to the reduction, making the current total 622 employees.
Williamsburg is home to around 3,300 people, with Kinze being a large local employer. The company was founded 59 years ago in 1965.