Bowling Manufacturing closing next week

May 2—LOOGOOTEE — One of Loogootee's largest manufacturing operations is shutting down. Officials with KCARC have issued a statement announcing the plans to end its operation, Bowling Manufacturing, there next week.

"KCARC will be ceasing operation at Bowling Manufacturing in Loogootee after May 10, 2024. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, the company is facing a significant demand reduction which has resulted in a reduced need for staff in the manufacturing areas. All of the employees affect by this change have been provided notice and will receive support during this transition whether they seek other employment opportunities at KCARC or outside of the organization."

KCARC officials either declined to make further comment on the announcement or were unavailable.

Local officials call the planned closing disappointing.

"This is bad news for them, very bad news for them. They are great community partners," said Jessica Potts, executive director of the Martin County Alliance for Economic Growth.

The closing came down to economics. KCARC had too much plant capacity for the orders they were receiving for the military cold weather shirts.

"Management has shared with me that over the last couple of years their shirts for the military orders are decreasing," said Potts. "They say that a few years ago, KCARC was making 52,000 shirts a month and it was reduced to 8,000. They have an office in Knox County and the Bowling Manufacturing Building, which is a 128,000 square foot building. There were 20 people sewing in Loogootee and 58 in Vincennes. With the smaller contract, a cut had to be made and they no longer saw it feasible for both to go on and decided to shut down the smaller office in Loogootee."

With the closing coming, there are multiple efforts to try and find new jobs for the 20 people displaced.

"Most of the workers are managing to land new jobs. Only a handful, at this point, have not found something new. KCARC has shared with me that they have tried to help those employees find future work," said Potts. "The Alliance is partnering with Workforce Development to host a job fair in Bowling Manufacturing building on May 29 from 2-5 p.m."

That still will leave much of a large building vacant. A Crane contractor, SSI, is using 60,000 square feet for warehousing. There is also a small start-up firm with an office in the building. Local leaders are optimistic they can fill it.

"As a community, we are partnering with KCARC and looking at potential different uses that could benefit the community, whether it is incubator space, a co-working space," said Potts. "Contractors at Crane are needing space like crazy. I cannot tell you the number of emails I receive from people at Crane looking for space that is close to the base. That building is a prime location for proximity to Crane. That building is an asset and I feel optimistic that we will get it filled. When it comes to the need for space, the time is now, and that building offers a lot of space."