One of the most iconic names in snowmobiles - and more - is shuttering major factories in Minnesota.
Powersports manufacturer Arctic Cat is closing factories in Thief River Falls and St. Cloud after fulfilling its outstanding customer commitments. When that happens in the first half of 2025, all workers at both facilities will be let go.
Arctic Cat was founded in Thief River Falls in 1962 and made its name making snowmobiles. Later, the company expanded to add ATV's and side-by-side UTV's.
Rhode Island-based Textron acquired the brand in 2017, and officials now say they are exploring "strategic alternatives."
“We will resume production as planned after the new year to produce units under existing customer commitments," Textron representatives said in a statement. "However, once that build is completed, we will suspend operations indefinitely, and will release our manufacturing employees at the Thief River Falls and St. Cloud facilities. Employees who work through their specific completion date will be offered severance benefits."
This all comes about a month after more than sixty Arctic Cat workers were already let go.
The company's statement blames "softness in consumer end-market demand," as the reason to reduce costs.