Winnebago has plans to open a manufacturing facility in Junction City, Ore., according to a report from the Register-Guard.
Winnebago this week finalized its purchase of the former Country Coach RV manufacturing plant. The company will retain the 35 employees that work in Country Coach’s RV service center at the site, and continue to operate the service center.
Winnebago will spend between $15 million and $20 million on the land purchase and on factory improvements and modifications, Folkers said. The company plans to make Winnebago diesel RVs at the factory, up to 1,000 motor homes a year.
The company also has purchased Country Coach’s intellectual property rights, and is considering manufacturing some RVs under that brand in the future, Winnebago Vice President Scott Folkers
The company expects to hire up to 200 employees, as it ramps up production over the next 18 months, company vice president Scott Folkers told the Lane County Board of Commissioners Tuesday.
Production workers will be paid an average of between $16 and $20 an hour — or $33,280 to $41,600 a year — plus benefits. Supervisors and managers will make between $45,000 and $125,000 annually.
The Board of Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously approved a $100,000 economic development grant for unspecified infrastructure work at the plant. The grant will come from the county’s share of state video lottery revenue, which is earmarked for local economic development projects.