SHIPSHEWANA — KZRV, a Shipshewana-based maker of towable recreational vehicles, announced plans Monday to expand its LaGrange County operations, creating as many as 125 new jobs by 2017.
The home-grown Hoosier company, now a subsidiary of Elkhart based Thor Industries will invest up to $4.83 million to construct and equip a new 80,750-square-foot dedicated lamination facility in Shipshewana. The facility, which will be fully operational by late spring 2015, will allow the company to increase its production capacity for lamination, aluminum frame welding and towable recreational vehicle assembly.
KZRV, which currently employs more than 360 full-time Indiana associates, plans to begin hiring aluminum welders and general assembly workers in late spring. Applicants may apply at the KZRV human resources office in Shipshewana.
“For more than four decades, KZ has grown its business in northern Indiana, the RV capital of the world, so it is only natural that we would continue to invest in Shipshewana as we continue to grow our business,” said Aram Koltookian, chief operating officer. “The new lamination facility is designed to produce high-quality laminated components and custom aluminum parts that will feed our other towable assembly plants, improving overall efficiency while maintaining the level of quality that KZ is known for in our industry.”
KZRV vice president corporate Delbert Miller appeared before the LaGrange County Council Monday morning to finalize a $4.8 million, 10-year tax abatement on the new building and equipment. That abatement was approved by the council members.
KZRV produces a full line of towable RVs. The KZRV complex, with the new addition, now consists of eight buildings covering 530,000 square feet. Since 2000, KZRV has won the RV Industry Association’s Quality Circle Award 13 times for dealer satisfaction.
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. offered KZRV up to $1,250,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $21,600 in training grants based on the company's job creation plans. These tax credits are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives.
Indiana leads the nation in RV production, manufacturing almost 80 percent of all RVs in the U.S., according to the RV Industry Association. In 2013, wholesale RV shipments in the U.S. reached their highest levels since 2007 and were up 12 percent from 2012.
Brands produced by KZRV include Sportsmen, Spree, Durango, StoneRidge and Inferno, as well as Venture RV brands SportTrek and Sonic. KZ sells its RVs to retail customers through a network of more than 200 dealers across the United States and Canada.