Manufacturer finds home in closed jeans plant

LEBANON, Mo. -- A corporation that manufactures accessories for boats, motorcycles and other recreational vehicles has moved into the first floor of the abandoned VF Jeanswear plant.

DOWCO Inc., based in Manitowoc, Wis., has renovated the space to accommodate its patterning operation for custom-fit boat and pontoon covers. It also has hired four workers laid off by the closing of VF Jeanswear.

One of the advantages of Lebanon is that it has a skilled base of sewing labor, DOWCO president Chuck Webster said.

"It's almost next door to some of our largest boat sellers, and the city fathers have been more than helpful," Webster added.

DOWCO hopes to eventually move more of its operations into the three-story plant in downtown Lebanon.

VF Jeanswear, based in North Carolina, announced in October that it would close the Lebanon plant, eliminating 750 jobs in the southwest Missouri city of about 12,000 people. It finished phasing out the plant in April.

Much of the sewing work done at Lebanon and at six plants was being sent to VF's plants in Mexico and Central America as the company seeks to save money, officials said.

Meanwhile, the city continues to market the other two floors of the building. It also is looking for interest in the former VF factory on Interstate 44, which the city bought earlier this month.

The purchase gives city leaders more say in what type of operation moves in and more freedom in designing an incentive package, Lebanon City Administrator Joe Knapp said.

The city would like to find a use that employs a significant number of people.

"We've got plenty of hope," Knapp said. "We're marketing it and putting it out there. Times are tough ... but we've had some interest in it."

LEBANON, Mo. -- A corporation that manufactures accessories for boats, motorcycles and other recreational vehicles has moved into the first floor of the abandoned VF Jeanswear plant.

DOWCO Inc., based in Manitowoc, Wis., has renovated the space to accommodate its patterning operation for custom-fit boat and pontoon covers. It also has hired four workers laid off by the closing of VF Jeanswear.

One of the advantages of Lebanon is that it has a skilled base of sewing labor, DOWCO president Chuck Webster said.

"It's almost next door to some of our largest boat sellers, and the city fathers have been more than helpful," Webster added.

DOWCO hopes to eventually move more of its operations into the three-story plant in downtown Lebanon.

VF Jeanswear, based in North Carolina, announced in October that it would close the Lebanon plant, eliminating 750 jobs in the southwest Missouri city of about 12,000 people. It finished phasing out the plant in April.

Much of the sewing work done at Lebanon and at six plants was being sent to VF's plants in Mexico and Central America as the company seeks to save money, officials said.

Meanwhile, the city continues to market the other two floors of the building. It also is looking for interest in the former VF factory on Interstate 44, which the city bought earlier this month.

The purchase gives city leaders more say in what type of operation moves in and more freedom in designing an incentive package, Lebanon City Administrator Joe Knapp said.

The city would like to find a use that employs a significant number of people.

"We've got plenty of hope," Knapp said. "We're marketing it and putting it out there. Times are tough ... but we've had some interest in it."