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More Than 300 Laid Off From Polaris Industries Plant In Milford

Polaris Industries Facebook

More than 300 people in northwest Iowa are getting laid off, now that Polaris Industries is shifting production of all-terrain and utility vehicles to Alabama, Minnesota and California.

The company says the layoffs at its Milford facility are the result of an effort to streamline plant infrastructure.

Milford is a town of fewer than 3,000 people and Polaris is the community's biggest employer. Mayor Bill Reinsbach says layoffs will hurt the local economy. 

"The impact’s going to be quite large," says Reinsbach. "We'll have some people possibly moving away. They certainly won’t have as much disposable income either, and it’s definitely going to have a negative impact."

Reinsbach hopes to attract more employers to Milford and also plans to focus on supporting local businesses.

Polaris is offering employment to workers who are willing to relocated. Also a limited number of people will be able to transfer to the nearby Spirit Lake plant.