A reshuffling at other Russel Stover Candies facilities across the Midwest will mean more jobs for Iola’s production plant.
The Kansas City-based company announced Tuesday it was closing several of its low-traffic stores across the country as well as its production facility in Montrose Colo., and distribution centers in Butler, Mo, and Cookeville, Tenn.
Most of the changes are slated to occur over the next 15 months.
“We still don’t know the number of employees we will be adding” to the Iola facility, Russell Stover spokesman Robbie Vorhaus told the Register in an email. “Our plan is to incorporate those employees from Montrose who wish to move to Iola into our production facility.”
Plants in Abilene and Corsicana, Texas, also will add employees as part of the changes.
In total, the closures will amount to about 400 jobs being displaced to third-party companies, while expansions elsewhere will add more than 300.
Andy Deisler, the company’s chief executive officer, listed several factors leading the company to choose Iola among its places to expand, including its “authentic and dedicated workforce with a strong work ethic.”
He also lauded governmental support at both the local and state levels, “specifically working with David Toland, Kansas Secretary of Commerce, who supports business expansion in smaller communities like Iola.”
It’s not immediately known how many employees Iola will add to its workforce, which currently sits at about 450.
“We are still evaluating both employee count and additional production,” Vorhaus said.
Russell Stover Candies officials announced Tuesday it is restructuring several of its facilities across the country, and plans to expand its Iola production facility over the next 15 months. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
Russell Stover said in its announcement that affected employees will be given advance notice and offered other opportunities within the company or severance.
“Our plan is to incorporate those employees from Montrose who wish to move to Iola into our production facility,” Vorhaus said.
