A Texas bedding manufacturer has bought an existing plant in Mahanoy Township, and a local business official believes operations will continue as they are now.
"It shouldn't have an effect on us that we're aware of," Schuylkill Economic Development Corp. President Frank J. Zukas said Tuesday of the recent purchase by Corsicana Bedding Inc., Corsicana, Texas, of the former International Bedding Inc. plant at 1214 Morea Road.
Corsicana Bedding spent $2.5 million for the 10.22-acre property, which had been owned by IBC of Pennsylvania Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and is located next to the Fabcon Inc. plant. The land, which is on the south side of Morea Road, was part of a Keystone Opportunity Zone, but that status expired in 2009.
Zukas said he thinks workers at the plant have no need to worry about their employment.
"The company was sold as a whole," he said. "I think it's going to be business as usual."
However, Zukas said the Pennsylvania CareerLink center in Pottsville is monitoring events in case the situation changes.
Neither officials from Corsicana Bedding, which is located about 50 miles southeast of Dallas, nor ones from International Bedding returned telephone calls seeking comment on the sale.
Transfer taxes from the deed, which was recorded on Dec. 23, provided immediate help to the state, township and Mahanoy Area School District. Pennsylvania received $25,000 in tax money, while the township and school district each received $12,500.
