A California-based caravan manufacturer will invest $2. 1 million to open a meeting plant and warehouse in Adams County this summer, creating between 120 and 140 jobs over the next two years, it said Thursday.
Lance Camper’s Decatur plant will build trailers for sale through its distributors in the eastern part of North America. One of the nearest dealers is Brauns Fun Time Campers in Indianapolis.
Jim Gratner, Brauns’ sales manager, said the dealership signed with Lance.
“They’ve been incredibly popular. Our initial order (of five) almost sold out when it arrived at the dealership,” he said, adding that a fourth RV was sold the week after shipping arrived.
The caravans cost between $48,000 and $79,500 and are between 15 and 25 feet long.
Gratner said the Lance logo is well known in the entertainment industry for making a relatively lightweight high-end product. All trailers weigh less than 6,000 pounds, making them towable through a pickup truck or giant SUV, he said.
Lance is expected to begin initial recruitment for his Decatur in early April with a start scheduled for July, according to a press release. Production will increase over the next six to eight months.
The assembly and supervision posts are already indexed on lance’s website. Julie Nuernberg, a spokeswoman for the company, said wages would range from $20 to $22 an hour, depending on the candidate’s position and experience.
Lance Camper Mfg. Corp. es a subsidiary of REV Group Inc. , in Brookfield, Wisconsin, which also owns Fleetwood RV.
REV Group serves 3 market segments through construction chimneys and emergency vehicles; commercial; and recreational uses. The manufacturer’s products come with ambulances, chimney trucks and school buses.
Mayor Dan Rickord REV Group already owns the assets of Decatur at 1236 Patterson St.
Rev Group and sister company Goldshield Fiberglass announced in September 2020 their goal of hiring more than one hundred employees at Decatur. The manufacturer in Adams County has grown and fallen in tandem with the U. S. economy. Fleetwood rented more than 1000 people there in early 2008, before the Great Recession.
It is known how many REV Group employees they now employ at Decatur.
Mike Lanciotti, president of REV Recreation Group, commented on Thursday’s announcement.
“With the growing interest and demand for recreational vehicles, our Decatur services will help better serve dealers in the Midwest and East,” he said in a statement. “Adams County is known for its unwavering and diligent workforce, many of whom have experience in recreational vehicle manufacturing; we look forward to more workers joining the Lance team.
Rickord the excellent investment news.
“Decatur is a welcoming network with a committed and talented workforce, and I look forward to seeing others move here to fill those positions,” he said in an email.
Lance won a commitment of up to $1. 4 million in economic incentives from Indiana Economic Develop Corp. Tax credits are performance-based, and the company is eligible to claim incentives after Hoosiers is hired.
Ann Lathrop, IEDC’s Executive Vice President of Global Investments, commented on the investment.
“As the motorhome capital of the world, Indiana provides a business-friendly and professional climate for a variety of motorhomes and motorhome brands to increase production and meet the developing demand of Hoosiers residents who want to explore,” he said in a statement.
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