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McELHATTAN -- Brodart Company in McElhattan is closing its doors, opening the door for First Quality Products LLC to expand its facilities.
Clinton County Economic Partnership President/CEO Mike Flanagan confirmed the closure of the library furniture manufacturing facility -- located in the Harold Sweeney Clinton County Industrial Park in McElhattan -- and the subsequent purchase of the property by First Quality. According to Flanagan, First Quality purchased both of the company's facilities in the park.
Brodart recently ceased production at the 200,000 square foot library furniture facility, and will work over the next couple of months to remove the equipment.
The contents and equipment were purchased by Toledo Furniture of Stroudsburg, Pa.
About 40 people are impacted by the closing, although about 10 of the office personnel are being asked to stay on as Toledo employees and operate out of a building somewhere in the vicinity of McElhattan.
The Brodart library furnishings facility, which is in the former Widmann's building, will continue to operate for the immediate future.
First Quality purchased the buildings and acreage for $12.5 million on Feb. 6. FQ, Clinton County's largest employer, did not release any information about immediate future plans for the buildings.
"We certainly have to thank Brodart for employing many people over the last several decades, and they will continue to have employees at the library furnishings," said Flanagan. "And we are so fortunate to have First Quality in our county. In addition to the Products and other buildings in McElhattan, they now own all of the buildings and acreage in the entire original industrial park."