MasterCraft’s new acquisition creates new jobs

Local boat builder MasterCraft is launching its new production line, a big turnaround after some tough times for the industry.

With the recession taking hold in 2008, fewer people were buying recreational items like boats. MasterCraft laid off hundreds of workers in late 2008 and early 2009.

Business eventually picked up again so in January, MasterCraft was able to take over Hydra-Sports Boat Company, another boat maker that had gone into bankruptcy.

But there’s more to the turnaround.

On Tuesday, 6 News visited MasterCraft’s Vonore plant where there are some new faces on the assembly line.

“I just love building boats and MasterCraft seems like a great company,” says new employee Stephen Delponte.

“As the old adage goes, you have to strike when the iron is hot,” says another new employee, Gary Parrott.

He ended 14 months of unemployment, while others are just glad to working again after they were laid off last year.

“Fortunately things are picking back up and I am happy to be back to work,” Mike Frame says.

Frame is surprised he’s back at the Vonore plant after the boating industry saw up to an 80 percent unemployment rate last year.

“It was unprecedented. No one had seen that kind of a drop,” says MasterCraft CEO John Dorton. He gave 6 News a tour of MasterCraft’s only plant in the world.

Dorton hopes his company’s buyout of Hydra-Sports is the beginning of better times.

MasterCraft says so far, business is staying afloat fueled largely by buyers from Asia and South America.

“About 25 to 30 percent of production is going overseas right now,” Dorton says.

Since MasterCraft acquired Hydra-Sports, it has hired 20 new employees and in the coming months managers hope to bring 30 more people on board to man the new line.

During the worst of the economic slump, MasterCraft laid off about 285 people. About half of that number has been rehired.

Source: WATE.com

Vonore boat builder MasterCraft to hire in the spring

Vonore boat builder MasterCraft expects to add 50 to 100 jobs in the spring after buying another manufacturer.

MasterCraft’s announced that it plans to add the jobs after buying Hydra-Sports, which makes boats for use on saltwater.

MasterCraft marketing director Jason Boertje said the plan is to hire local employees. That could include some former MasterCraft workers who were laid off during the recession.

The company rehired 175 of those workers in July after restructuring and brought back another 73 employees in November and December.

The company now has about 325 workers at the Vonore plant.

Source: WATE

Mastercraft re-hiring 175 workers, resumes production

Mastercraft in Vonore has resumed production and began re-hiring 175 workers this week.

President and CEO John Dorton says some workers reported Monday, some Tuesday and more will come in on Wednesday.

Dorton says Mastercraft is building 2010 models. The plant has had sporadic production since February and no production in June. However, it’s now making five to six boats a day.

Last year, Mastercraft had 650 employees and made between 19 and 21 boats on a normal day.

Dorton says the problem this past winter was that dealers couldn’t get credit to buy the boats. Now, Mastercraft is backlogged with orders and he hopes production stays steady indefinitely.

Dorton also says the employees being re-hired are cross-trained and versatile and seniority is a factor.

Plus, management is looking at employees’ quality of work and attendance to determine who to re-hire.

Source: WATE

Mastercraft re-hiring 175 workers, resumes production

Mastercraft in Vonore has resumed production and began re-hiring 175 workers this week.

President and CEO John Dorton says some workers reported Monday, some Tuesday and more will come in on Wednesday.

Dorton says Mastercraft is building 2010 models. The plant has had sporadic production since February and no production in June. However, it’s now making five to six boats a day.

Last year, Mastercraft had 650 employees and made between 19 and 21 boats on a normal day.

Dorton says the problem this past winter was that dealers couldn’t get credit to buy the boats. Now, Mastercraft is backlogged with orders and he hopes production stays steady indefinitely.

Dorton also says the employees being re-hired are cross-trained and versatile and seniority is a factor.

Plus, management is looking at employees’ quality of work and attendance to determine who to re-hire.

Source: WATE