Washing machine manufacturer moves to Mexico, lays off 60

Kay Reiter, executive director of the Sandusky County Economic Development Corporation, said local officials met Friday with representatives from Fisher & Paykel, manufacturer of washing machines and dryers.

"They announced that they will be moving the dryer operations in July to Mexico, and the location is just over the border right by Brownsville, Texas," Reiter said. The machinery now used at the Clyde plant, located at 101 Water Tower Drive, will be moved to the Mexican factory.

"In June they will be stopping the production of their washing machines until further notice," she said. "They're stopping production but all of the machinery will be staying at the plant ... They're hoping if the economy turns around that possibly that line will start back up, but they're not making any promises at this time," the director said.

She said the company currently employs 86 people locally, but that number will drop to 26. "The motor line that was the original project that came to Clyde from Australia is staying," she said. "I do know that some of the employees will be offered jobs to go with the dryer line to Mexico. I do not know the exact number at this time," she said.

The company decided to move its production of Smart Drive washers from Australia and its moving motor manufacturing from New Zealand in 2005. In late 2007, it reportedly employed 128 people at the Clyde facility.

A woman who answered the telephone Monday at the Clyde plant declined to comment on the situation, but instead forwarded questions to the company's California office. That office was closed on Monday due to the Presidents' Day holiday.