Kimball International announced this morning during a press conference at Salem City Hall an estimated $9 million capital investment at the Salem plant and the addition of approximately 100 new full-time jobs.
Marty Vaught, Director of Public Relations for Kimball International said a metal fabrication facility in Post Falls, Idaho will be closed and the operation will be moved to Salem.
Vaught said high freight costs getting materials to and from Idaho was one of the factors in this decision. “80 percent of our business is east of Colorado so it made since to bring this to Southern Indiana where we are already doing business,” he said.
Salem Plant Manager Dusty Hancock said 60 jobs would be transferred to Jasper with an investment there of about $560,000.
Hourly wages are expected in the $13-$15 per hour range, said Hancock. “We anticipate making some hires soon, but the majority of positions will be filled between January and March 2015.”
Employee positions will include shop floor, skilled machinist, engineering, supervisors and administrative.
Hancock said work in the Salem Kimball operation has been consolidated into half the space of the factory. This extra space will allow the new equipment and metal operation to be placed without having to add on to the facility’s size.
“The current open space will be prepped before production work can be transferred,” said Hancock. “We’ll hire a few people to help facilitate the change and they’ll spend time in Post Falls, and those folks will be coming here to help in Salem and Jasper.”
