Winnebago Cuts 51 More Jobs in Forest City as Middlebury Consolidation Lands in Indiana

Winnebago Industries filed a WARN notice on October 9 for 51 more layoffs at its Forest City, Iowa plant, effective November 9, bringing the plant's 2026 total to 78 cuts and following 311 layoffs tied to last year's closures in Charles City and Waverly. The company cited falling consumer demand and high dealer inventory. The cuts follow an August announcement that Winnebago is consolidating all of its towable RV production onto its Middlebury, Indiana campus while moving class B camper van production from Lake Mills to Forest City, and new U.S.-Canada tariffs on plywood, plastics, and wiring are adding to input costs on both sides of the border. Winnebago holds only 4% to 8% of the global RV market against Thor Industries' more than 40% share, so this restructuring reflects competitive weakness as much as tariff pressure. For northern Indiana, concentrating Winnebago Towables onto the Grand Design campus in Middlebury means more order flow for suppliers like Lippert Components and Patrick Industries, but it also means those suppliers now have more business riding on decisions made inside a single company's internal brand strategy.