Ouch. A few days after the SR reported on Spokane Valley manufacturing firm ATC moving to Post Falls, we see a wire story announcing that furniture maker Kimball will close its Post Falls operation.

The AP story:

JASPER, Ind. — Office furniture maker Kimball International says it plans to sell a metal-fabrication facility in Post Falls and move that work to existing company factories in southern Indiana.

The Jasper-based company says it will spend about $9.5 million to transfer the production to three Indiana factories over the next two years. Kimball officials say they are actively trying to sell the Post Falls facility.

The company says it expects to add up to 160 jobs at the southern Indiana factories with the increased production. Kimball now has about 2,000 full-time employees at 17 locations in Indiana. Kimball says it expects to save money after the consolidation by having production facilities closer together.

You win some, you lose some.  Incidentally, the reason ATC is moving is the strong lure of the Idaho Dept. of Commerce tax reimbursement incentive. It applies when a company agrees to create more than 50 jobs in an urban area, and pay more than the average county wage.

In the case of Kootenai County, the average is $33,730, according to Idaho labor analyst Alivia Metts. Spokane County's  is $41,727.

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