PACCAR's Denton, TX plant - which only recently turned out its 300,000th truck will begin shedding workers on January 26th,
according to this report. How many we know not, and there's little point in asking Robin Easton, as he isn't given to saying much. Or anything. About anything. At all.
Which makes this report all the more interesting, as PACCAR's singularly Trappist treasurer is quoted here in print. "Less than 172 workers", he tells the Denton Record Chronicle. Which, in percentage terms, is rather less than the staff reductions at Renton, where the Kenworth plants has been effectively idled. Kenworth's other plant - at Chillicothe - has seen 100 staff go, whereas at Peterbilt's other main plant - in Nashville -
nobody is working: on 23rd June, Peterbilt locked staff out after it and the UAW failed to agree contract terms. The last time this happened - in 2002 - the standoff lasted for ten months, and, we'd assume, on both occasions, was an action that proved highly beneficial in terms on inventory management.
We're still waiting to see if PACCAR's much-vaunted Mississippi engine plant will open on time; lots of anecdotal stuff suggests not, but, once again, RE is saying nowt. Presumably someone will ask the question at PACCAR's Q1 discussions, due soon after its earnings announcement on the 30th January.
