Supreme pursues bus sale
Company says 200 jobs could be retained at Goshen
GOSHEN - If things go well, 200 jobs will remain in Goshen when Supreme Industries sells the shuttle-bus business.
"That's what we are planning," Mark Weber, president and CEO of Supreme Industries in Goshen, said. "It's all going to depend on the buyer. We've got a very attractive facility and a skilled work force."
Located on East Kercher Road, the shuttle bus building is across the street from Supreme's corporate offices and truck business. There's even room for expansion on the current shuttle-bus site, Weber said.
"Our process to divest is very active at this point in time," Weber said this week.
He said the shuttle bus business is a relatively small portion of Supreme's business, so it might make more sense for a new owner to invest in and grow the operation.
Supreme Industries announced Dec. 31 that it will sell its shuttle-bus business.
The shuttle-bus business represents about 12 percent of Supreme's sales, the company said, and had a negative effect on its consolidated earnings in 2013.
In March 2012, the company announced a three-year $7 million expansion of its overall operations that was projected to create 350 jobs.
At that time, Supreme employed 630 people in Elkhart County.
Currently, about 700 people work there, including 200 in the shuttle-bus area, Weber said.
Some tax breaks were tied to the company's expansion plans. Mark Brinson, Goshen Community Development director, said it's possible those breaks could be affected.
"That's reviewed annually," Brinson said. "Their tax abatement could be re-evaluated if they don't meet those targets."
Weber was not with the company when the expansion was announced. He said he is not sure how this change will affect those plans, just yet.
Weber said the company would work with local commissions regarding what will happen with the original projections.
"The majority of our business is more on the truck specialty vehicle side," he said. "Most of our employment additions have been truck-related, which is going to be our core business.
"We are also expecting to expand our trolley activities."
The shuttle-bus business had been "relatively flat the last few years," Weber said.
But the truck side is a different story.
"The truck business as a total market ... is posting 5-, 10-, 12-percent year over year growth," he said.
JMeenan@SBTinfo.com
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