(Catalog Age) Lands’ End plans to close its only manufacturing plants, in Elkader and West Union, IA, effective April 1. The plants produce luggage, duffel bags, hats, scarves, and mittens. The Dodgeville, WI-based apparel and home goods cataloger manufactures only 1% of the products it sells in its catalogs, its outlet stores, and 877 Sears stores around the country.
“Lands’ End has become increasingly uncompetitive in manufacturing over the years, and we didn’t see that as improving,” said spokesperson Ann Woolman. “So we decided to focus on our strengths, such as design, and being direct merchants.”
She added, however, that the closings are no reflection on Lands’ End’s 2003 sales, which increased 22% over 2002’s, in part because of the rollout to all U.S. Sears stores. Sears purchased Lands’ End last year.
The company is eliminating 140 jobs in the two plants. Another 37 jobs in its Dodgeville headquarters who cut materials used in the plants will also be laid off. Although the fate of the West Union plant is undecided, Grinnell, IA-based manufacturer DeLong Sportswear will take over the Elkader plant and employ 45-50 Lands’ End employees from that facility, Woolman said. Lands’ End is trying to find positions for the other affected employees.
Woolman said that parent Sears had “absolutely nothing” to do with the closings. “We alerted Sears that we’d be closing these facilities,” she said. “We remain a wholly owned subsidiary, sharing best practices with Sears.”
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