Briggs & Stratton to temporarily shut down production at facility in McDonough, Georgia

Briggs & Stratton Corporation announced Sept. 17 that it will temporarily shut down its production facility in McDonough, Ga., in order to reduce inventory levels of lawn and garden products that are produced at the facility.

Market demand for lawn and garden equipment remains soft as a result of the ongoing drought affecting a large portion of the United States since May 2012. Production will be suspended Oct. 29-Nov. 25, 2012; however, shipments of products and service parts to customers will continue during this time. Plant personnel will also utilize the shutdown period to complete the movement of certain equipment from the company’s recently closed Newbern, Tenn., facility into the McDonough plant and to re-tool for new products for spring 2013 production. Approximately 340 hourly employees and 200 temporary employees will be temporarily laid off during this plant shutdown. Briggs & Stratton does not anticipate that this temporary plant shutdown will have a significant impact on its previously announced estimates for fiscal year 2013 net income of $60 to $75 million, or $1.25 to $1.55 per diluted share.