Navistar International Corp.said yesterday it plans to lay off as many as 500 employees at its Springfield, Ohio, plant because of the slump in truck sales.

According to Reuters, the layoffs will take effect Nov. 13, when production of medium and heavy trucks will be dropped to 287 trucks per day from 334. Most of the plant's second-shift workers will be eliminated until demand picks up. Fifty of the affected workers are white-collar, according to published reports.
In July, Navistar cut the workforce at its Wayne, Ind., plant. And last month, Navistar cut 1,100 white-collar jobs -- about 15 percent of its white-collar workforce.
At that time, John R. Horne, chairman, president and chief executive officer of Navistar, said a drop in third quarter truck and bus shipments from second quarter levels and the decline in order receipts were clear indications that the industry is at the beginning of a downturn brought on by an oversupply of late model used trucks, escalating diesel fuel prices and higher interest rates.