Expansion Plans Announced For Winnebago Industries

14 September 1998
Expansion Plans Announced For Winnebago Industries
    FOREST CITY, Iowa, Sept. 11 -- Winnebago Industries, Inc.
is announcing expansion plans within North Iowa. Due to the high
demand for the company's motor homes and a tight labor market, Winnebago
Industries has decided to open a third satellite facility.
    A 50,000 square foot building will be purchased in Charles City, Iowa, for
the manufacture of cabinet components.  Plans call for the building and
equipment to be in place and operational by January 1, 1999 with over 100
employees at the facility within a year.  New employees will receive classroom
training, as well as on-the-job training in Forest City prior to production
start-up.
       In addition, Winnebago Industries has also assumed control and
purchased the assets of the Charles City location of North East Machine and
Tool Co., doing business as North East Valve.  Previously used to modify
chassis for select models of the company's motor homes, this facility now
customizes the new Ulti-Bay(TM) chassis for Winnebago Industries' new 1999
Ultimate Advantage and Ultimate Freedom motor homes. A brand new line for
the company, the Ultimate motor home series offers both the ultimate in motor
home storage and luxury design.
    The Charles City chassis prep facility retained all 12 employees from
North East Valve and will hire additional staff in order to meet increased
demand for the Ultimate motor home series since the motor home's introduction
to the company's dealers last month.
    "We are very excited about the opportunity to expand into the Charles City
community," said Winnebago Industries Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and
President Bruce Hertzke. "The Charles City community has been tremendously
helpful in site location and project development.  Approximately 60 miles from
Forest City, the Charles City location is just outside our typical employee
driving radius, providing us with a new source of qualified employees. The
unemployment level is also slightly higher in the Charles City area, providing
a larger pool from which to recruit new employees there.  Our two existing
satellite facilities have been tremendously successful and are located in
Hampton and Lorimor, Iowa."
    Currently celebrating the company's 40th Anniversary, Winnebago Industries
is a leading manufacturer of motor homes that are self-contained recreation
vehicles used primarily in leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities.
Other products manufactured by the Company consist principally of a variety of
component products for other manufacturers. The Company builds quality
products with state-of-the-art computer-aided design and manufacturing systems
on automotive-styled assembly lines.  The products and component parts conform
to what the Company believes to be the most rigorous testing in the RV
industry. The Company's common stock is listed on the New York, Chicago and
Pacific Stock Exchanges and traded under the symbol WGO.  Options for the
Company's common stock are traded on the Chicago Board Options Exchange.
Visit Winnebago Industries' Web site at http://www.winnebagoind.com/.