Bad economic news slammed the Nashville area Monday when officials at Husqvarna told employees that both Nashville plants would be shuttered by the end of 2024.
At the original plant and warehouse on S. 4th St., and at the former Oxbodies plant north of Nashville, the loss would be a reported 700-plus jobs. That does not include associated jobs at Mission Plastics, Jan-Eze Plating and at the Howard County Children’s Center where 79 clients do sub-assemblies for Husqvarna.
Many Husqvarna employees drive in from Murfreesboro, Dierks and Mineral Springs each day.
A spokesperson at the Children’s Center said Tuesday they had not been not been notified by Husqvarna, but that the center had other contracts to provide work for clients.
On Tuesday morning Nashville Mayor Larry Dunaway and County Judge Brent Pinkerton went to Little Rock to meet with Husqvarna plant manager Steve Harvill and Clint O’Neal of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. The aim of the meeting would be to begin a search for a replacement facility.
A company press release said that the Nashville plant will be ‘consolidated’ into plants in Brazil, China and Orangeburg, S.C.
The press release said that the Swedish-owned company “Will provide transition options for employees and job placement support services.” The release said the consolidation was due to strategy for electrification and robotics, among others criteria.
The company came to Nashville in 1977, moving from Shreveport to a 100,000 sq. ft. facility for manufacturing lightweight gasoline-powered chainsaws and weed trimmers.
There were several expansions over the years including a plastic molding facility north of Nashville and a huge warehouse facility attached to the original plant on South 4th St.
The Nashville Chamber of Commerce hosted a gala impromptu celebration to announce the industry.
