Katana lays off 17 workers
Lynne Lynch/Columbia Basin Herald<br> Wind tower manufacturer Katana Summit laid off 17 employees this week during its second round of layoffs this year.
EPHRATA — Wind tower manufacturer Katana Summit in Ephrata laid off 17 employees this week during the company’s second round of layoffs since March.
On Tuesday, Ephrata Plant Manager Bob Bainsky said the employees represented a mix of positions, from office personnel, to hourly and salaried employees.
He said the downturn in the economy resulted in the orders not coming in.
“It’s certainly not something we wanted to do,” Bainsky commented.
Both shifts are still operating at the plant, but with fewer employees, he explained.
At this point, he doesn’t see the employees being brought back.
“Hopefully, by the end of the year or the beginning of next year, things will turn around,” Bainsky noted. “I hope it turns around. I know it’s bad times all over right now.”
The plant was very busy last year and up until November, were booked solid, he said.
“Then all at once, they started canceling orders and it slowed down,” Bainsky added.
The plant now employees less than 140 people.
In March, the Ephrata plant laid off 21 people.
During that time, Bainsky cited problems with site developers obtaining financing to install the turbines.