Closure of St. Louis plant to benefit Poplar Bluff

Daily American Republic

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Nordyne's recent decision to close a plant in St. Louis is expected to add as many as 250 jobs to its operation in the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park.

The St. Louis plant on Grand Avenue is being closed because the facility's location makes expansion impossible. Therefore, Nordyne plans to build a new bigger plant at another location.

The impact on the Poplar Bluff plant is expected to be felt later this year.

"The Poplar Bluff facility will experience a remixing of products, some will be moving out, others will be moving in," said Michael Nix, Nordyne vice president of operations at St. Louis. "Those products moving in are part of our growth process. Poplar Bluff will see an increase of between 200 and 250 additional jobs."

Nordyne officials said a new site is being sought that would accommodate a plant 50 percent larger than the one in St. Louis. It eventually would employ more than 600 people.