(Radio Iowa) – Case New Holland is laying off more than 200 workers at its plant in Burlington which makes construction equipment. Burlington Mayor Jon Billups says they worked hard to get the company to stay there. “We reached out to the state leaders, and everybody was trying to keep them here,” he says. Billups says the plant has been a point of pride for the Burlington community for generations.

“It stinks, because we’ve had years of investment in their plant, both as a city and as a state, and it’s just heartbreaking for the families that are going to be affected,” Billups says. The employees were given notice earlier this week and Iowa WARN says the layoffs will take effect in April and May. Case New Holland said its reason for the layoffs was a significant drop in loader backhoe demand. “I get they’re not selling as many backhoes as they used to, but they’re selling other equipment we could be manufacturing for them, and they’ve got a perfectly good plant here with a fantastic workforce, and they’re not taking advantage of it,” Billups says.

Local leaders and members of the United Auto Workers had been trying to convince the company to keep the plant open. U-A-W President Shawn Fain called the closure an example of corporate greed.