Munro And Co. To Lay Off 56 At Shoe Plant In Hot Springs

Munro and Co., which makes shoes at its Hot Springs headquarters and a plant in Clarksville, says it will lay off 56 workers over the course of the next six months due to competitive pressure abroad.

“Economic forces in the international shoe industry have forced us to move some components of our operations to the Dominican Republic to remain competitive,” said CEO Bruce Munro.

Munro and Co. is a domestic shoe manufacturer and importer. Its principal brands include women’s footwear, which is sold in department stores and specialty boutiques nationwide.

“We are one of the very few remaining domestic shoe manufacturers in America and we are committed to maintaining as large a domestic presence as is competitively feasible – but that comes with a price,” Munro said. “To remain a viable company and retain our reputation for manufacturing very high quality footwear known for its exceptional fit, we must be as cost-efficient as possible to maintain competitive pricing.”

The company said approximately 56 employees will be affected by the permanent layoffs. The first separations are expected to take place no sooner than June 16, 2014, with a second round of separations in July, 2014. It is expected that by September 2014 the company’s Lake Catherine facility will employ approximately 30 employees. An estimated 11 jobs will be transferred to the company’s Clarksville, Arkansas facility.

At year-end, Munro said it will still have 80 employees at their facilities in Hot Springs and more than 120 at their manufacturing plant in Clarksville.