SAINT-GEORGES, Que. (May 30, 2003) — Manac announced yesterday it would temporarily cease operations at its Orangeville, Ont. van plant, as of July 10, 2003. The layoff will affect 235 employees for approximately 25 weeks.

The company, one of Canada’s largest semi-trailer manufacturers, cited “continued stringent economic circumstances prevailing in the North American semitrailer industry and the major fluctuations in the Canadian/American currency exchange” as the main motive for the decision to centralize its van production. This decision will minimize the losses suffered by the Saint-Georges production plant, which will take on the entire van production during
this period. However, the company said no increase in personnel is planned.

Last month, Manac celebrated the production of its 20,000th van trailer at the plant. The company opened the 159,700-square-foot facility in December 1994. It has the capacity to produce 5,000 steel and aluminum van trailers each year.

Based in Saint-Georges-de-Beauce, Que., Manac is a division of The Canam Manac Group, a producer of steel components. Manac builds van, flatdeck, and logging trailers, as well as trailers for more specialized markets. In addition to the Orangeville facility, it produces trailers in Saint-Georges-de-Beauce, Trois-Rivières, and Saint-Prime, Qué., and in Oran, Mo.