Big layoffs likely as Arctic Cat shuts down plants in MN

Despite good job numbers overall, the future seems uncertain for some workers at a well-known Minnesota-based power sports manufacturer after its parent company announced the indefinite suspension of operations at two local plants.

Textron Inc. confirmed that Arctic Cat manufacturing operations are being shut down at factories in Thief River Falls and St. Cloud after planned production numbers for the first half of 2025 are met. The company says the closures are in response to the ongoing business conditions facing the power sports industry due to inflationary increases impacting consumer demand. There is no indication of how many employees will be affected. In November, the company laid off 65 employees and furloughed more at its Thief River Falls location.

Arctic Cat was founded in 1962 and more recently added ATVs and side-by-side UTVs to its lineup. Rhode Island based Textron acquired Arctic Cat in 2017.