Excel Industries to Lay Off About 270 in Hesston

Excel Industries in Hesston says it is reorganizing its operations and will lay off about 270 employees, effective immediately.

Excel announced the layoffs Thursday in a letter sent to employees.

The plant was the scene of a shooting that left four dead and 14 wounded in 2016.

Company officials said in a news release that demand for the turf care products it makes grew rapidly in the last three years but returned to more normal levels this year. They say Excel continues to grow but the overall market for turf care products is flat or down, in part because of weather and economic conditions in some areas.

Excel is Hesston’s second-largest employer.