Daimler Trucks North America is laying off more than 2,300 employees at three Freightliner plants in North Carolina and at a plant in Portland, Ore.


According to published reports, Freightliner parent company Daimler Trucks North America announced last week that nearly 1,300 employees at the Freightliner plant in Cleveland will be laid off as it eliminates it second shift -- about three-quarters of the workforce. The Mount Holly facility will cut 600 workers and will only perform limited component assembly work after March 13. About 275 people will lost their plants at a parts plant in Gastonia, following more than 550 jobs that were cut there last fall.

Another 190 jobs layoffs will take effect Jan. 30 at Daimler Trucks North America's Swan Island plant, which builds U.S. military vehicles and Western Star trucks. About 700 workers will be left at the plant, which is scheduled to close in June 2010.

"Although these actions are unavoidable and necessary, we deeply regret the impact on our employees and their families," Chris Patterson, DTNA president and CEO, said in a news release. "These are extremely difficult and challenging times for our industry. We look forward to returning to normal production operations when business conditions stabilize."