Ottumwa economic development officials have succeeded in finding a buyer to keep a shower and bathtub manufacturing plant in town. The Executive Director of the Ottumwa Area Development Corporation, Jonathan Krebs, says The Praxis Companies of Pennsylvania is buying the Crane Plant.
He says Praxis is buying the Ottumwa plant to continue building its Aquarius and Hamilton brands of bath-ware. He says that means they’ll keep the workers at the plant and double the number of workers in the next 18 months. Krebs says there are currently 67 workers at the plant.
He says they’ve been working for over a year to find a buyer for the plant. He says last June Crane announced plans to sell the plant in Ottumwa and one in New Castle, Indiana. Krebs says it was important to keep the jobs from moving. He says they’re very pleased with the decisions and the skilled labor force they have. Krebs says the workers make an average of 12-dollars-an-hour.
Praxis manufactures bathtub and shower units for the residential, assisted living, and commercial markets. Krebs says they expect the sale to close sometime later this month.