The Wisconsin modular home industry continues to struggle as
central
saw the close of modular home manufacturer Pittsville Homes this past summer.
Both the modular and manufactured home sectors have suffered
in their production rates during the past decade, according to estimates from
the Wisconsin Housing Alliance. For modular home businesses in particular, 2013
was a rough year, with a 10 percent decline in state production from the
previous year.
This is not a new trend for the
modular home industry, which has seen a steady decline in production since
2004, when production was almost 700 percent higher.
And central
has witnessed its fair share of modular home business closures.
In 2009,
saw the closing of Wick Building Systems’ modular home plant, dislocating
roughly 150 workers.
Pittsville Homes shut down its operations in August after 40
years of manufacturing modular homes. At the time of the closing, the owner
told Gannett Central Wisconsin Media that “extreme” banking
regulations on the industry and an uncertain economic outlook were major
factors in his decision to sell.
The manufactured homes sector, on the other hand, is
starting to see some growth with production levels increasing.
Modular homes production 2003-2013
2001: 1,923
2002: 1,896
2003: 2,017
2004: 2,116
2005: 1,966
2006: 1,633
2007: 1,121
2008: 693
2009: 437
2010: 368
2011: 317
2012: 318
2013: 286
SOURCE: Wisconsin Housing
