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1 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Four Oregon ski areas are opening this weekend ... AOC lacked policy for Breidenthal account ... Federal bill will give boost to Oregon transportation projects ... Four Oregon ski areas are opening this weekend ... AOC lacked policy for Breidenthal account ... Federal bill will give boost to Oregon transportation projects ... LANE COUNTY Winnebago opening plant in Lane County Wages will range from $45,000 to $125K Comment By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Dec. 1, 2015 at 4:47 PM By The Associated Press Posted Dec. 1, 2015 at 4:47 PM » Social News EUGENE — Winnebago Industries on Tuesday announced plans to open a manufacturing facility in Lane County. The Iowa-based recreational vehicle maker will move into the former Country Coach RV manufacturing plant in Junction City, The Register-Guard reported. The plant would hire 200 employees initially and likely expand. Winnebago estimates wages would range from $45,000 to $125,000, good money in a county where the average annual wage is $38,000. "Winnebago is helping to breathe life into an industry that was largely lost during the Great Recession," county Commissioner Jay Bozievich said in a statement. "Lane County has many skilled and talented workers in need of living-wage manufacturing jobs to sustain themselves and their families." The factory is expected to open in the second half of 2016. Commissioners voted Tuesday to spend up to $100,000 of video lottery funds to help pay for the infrastructure improvements necessary to open the plant. Video lottery funds are distributed by state and must be targeted for economic development activities. Tuesday's action leaves just under $60,000 for other projects through next summer. Winnebago is among the market leaders in several different RV classifications. The Junction City plant would be the company's first manufacturing center on the West Coast. "We need more capacity," company vice president Scott Folkers said. Lane County had been a hub of RV manufacturing until the recession led to plant closings. In the early and mid-2000s, the county was one of the nation's premier RV manufacturing centers, with major factories in Junction City and Coburg, and numerous parts suppliers and contractors throughout the county. By The Associated Press MailTribune.com By The Associated Press Posted Dec. 1, 2015 at 4:47 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501