Havco Wood Products to reduce work force in Cape

Havco Wood Products announced that it will reduce its work force at the Cape Girardeau plant by about 65 full-time employees as of Monday. The company will also reduce its staff by about 12 temporary employees.

"The work-force reduction being announced today is a result of a significant slowdown in the trucking sector of our nation's economy," said president and CEO Bruce Bader in a written statement. "The trucking industry has experienced a significant reduction in freight tonnage in recent months and as a result new orders for trailers have slowed."

After the layoffs take effect, Havco will employ about 250 people at its Cape Girardeau facility.

Vice president of finance Curt Buchheit said it's impossible to say whether there will be further cuts in the future.

"It just mirrors the economy," he said. "It's kind of like if I were to ask you what you think the economy will be like in six months. Well, you don't know. There's too many variables."

Havco is the world's largest producer of laminated truck trailer flooring. Havco operates two production facilities in the United States; the other is in Vonore, Tenn. The company ships flooring to customers in North America and China.