Labor dispute at West Coast ports prompts furloughs at Hutchinson’s Siemens plant

A labor dispute that has slowed and sometimes halted business at West Coast ports is having an impact on some workers in Hutchinson.

Siemens Wind Energy furloughed 60 employees last Wednesday because parts needed to build wind turbine nacelles at the plant are stuck in ships off the West Coast.

A Siemens spokesman told the Hutchinson News in an e-mail that Siemens is assessing the situation daily and doing what it can to procure parts from other Siemens factories.

The Siemens plant had been at full production for months, employing about 360 full-time workers and contract workers. The Siemens statement said the company would get back to full production as soon as possible.

Nacelles hold the wind turbine's generating components, such as the generator, gearbox, drive train and brake assembly.

This story was originally published February 23, 2015 at 11:32 AM with the headline "Labor dispute at West Coast ports prompts furloughs at Hutchinson’s Siemens plant."