Two-hundred-50 workers in Dubuque were notified Wednesday that the furniture plant where they work is closing. December of NEXT year is the target date for closing the Flexsteel plant in Dubuque. Flexsteel executives say the plant dates back to 1897 and is “inefficient for manufacturing and costly to maintain.” Flexsteel’s corporate headquarters is in Dubuque.

Flexsteel’s president says the company hopes to find a new facility in the Dubuque area, but must ensure its manufacturing operations are competitive. Flexsteel plans to invest 25-million dollars in manufacturing infrastructure over the next two years.

Flexsteel’s roots date back to the 1800s in Minnesota. In 1936, the company moved to Dubuque. Eight years ago Flexsteel closed plants in Pennsylvania and Indiana. Flexsteel operates facilities in seven other states as well as China, Mexico, Thailand and Vietnam.

(Radio Iowa)