PULASKI, Wis — PULASKI, Wis (NBC26)
A yacht company in Pulaski could lay off more than three-hundred workers about a month from now. Right now company leaders at Marquis Yachts say they are anticipating a temporary shutdown beginning on March 1st as they hope to finalize a deal with a buyer.
Since the mid-1990's Marquis Yachts has been churning out multi-million dollar yachts in Pulaski. Today the company employs about 340 people.
"To have that type of quality being built here in little Pulaski is huge for us," says Bruce Brzeczkowski a Village of Pulaski Trustee.
Brzeczkowski says the news of the plant closing temporarily in March, caught many off guard.
"They're nervous obviously. They're a little bit scared of what's going to happen."
Current employees will be given 60 days of pay and benefits during the shutdown starting on March 1st but the company is still looking for a buyer, hoping they can avoid the shutdown all together.
"And that's the big unknown, can they find someone within a reasonable amount of time," questions Jim Golembeski the Executive Director of the Bat Area Workforce Development Board.
Golembeski says if employees start taking jobs at other companies before a potential buyer can make a move, it could spell bad news, for Marquis Yachts.
"If that workforce begins to disperse, it will be harder to sell the company."
And because this is being described as a temporary layoff and not a plant closure, it's likely leaving many of those employees wondering what their next step is.
"That's the hard part for the 300 some employees that have to make that call. Do you ride it out per say or start looking," questions Brzeczkowski.
For the time being the clock is ticking, with an anticipated temporary shutdown beginning on March 1st if a buyer doesn't come forward. And that leaves many in Pulaski pulling for their 300 plus neighbors who work at the plant.
"We're hoping that they work things out. Hopefully sooner rather than later and get things back rolling again," adds Brzeczkowski.
