WINCHESTER – One year.
That’s all the time left on the clock for Indiana Marujun (IML), this city’s largest employer and one of East Central Indiana’s biggest automotive parts manufacturers, following a September announcement that it would cease operations by mid-November 2016.
One year until the factory at 200 Inks Drive, just a mile west of downtown Winchester, shuts its doors and a decade-long relationship with one of the world's most prominent car companies shifts gears. A factory that in 2012 saw its management declare a $21-million investment and the addition of dozens of new jobs. A facility that, unless bought up by someone else, will sit empty atop 30 acres of land worth an estimated $8 million.
One year until 765 people, including some who might have been part of the 2012 expansion, are out of work and out of luck. People with mouths to feed, bills to pay and dreams to pursue. Dreams that will have to be put on hold. Take into account those who may have expected to work there after earning their high school diploma, not to mention others who anticipated getting temporary work opportunities there for one reason or another, and those numbers steadily rise.
One year until an international company leaves North American soil in favor of Asian expansion. A company with capital funds that reach a combined $94 million. An enterprise that makes important mechanical parts for Honda manufacturing facilities in Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, Canada and Mexico.
Just one year until the potential many saw in this factory as Winchester’s “next big thing” clocks out.
But there's still hope. Maybe something in the equation will change in the next year. Maybe the factory will be bought or the workers will find jobs in other area factories. Maybe, just maybe, something — anything — good will happen.
Whatever happens next likely won't be easy; after all, nobody on this side of the Pacific Ocean seemed to have seen this coming.
It all began with a phone call from corporate headquarters in Gifu, Japan — about 250 miles west-southwest of Tokyo — to Eric Fields, vice president of business at Indiana Marujun, at the start of September.
The call wasn't any longer than a few minutes, but it changed everything about the Indiana plant, not to mention the future of those who work and live in Winchester.
Fields was the only Marujun employee authorized to speak publicly about the situation, and did so for both the Indiana factory and its Japanese parent company.
He'd spoken to the Japanese ownership group a few times in the months ahead of the closure, but those conversations never bore an ominous tone, Fields said. The last call — the one in which they told him what would happen — was different, very direct.
"They told us they were shutting the plant down, effective November of next year," Fields said. "(Not) because of our performance, just that it was necessary to take the company in the right direction, they said."
Fields said it was a very calm conversation, that the Japanese management whom he spoke with were apologetic, but firm in their decision.
"They're selling it because it's the right thing for them to do, and we may not 'like' it, but we'll have to deal with it," he said. "We (at IML) aren't sure where this is going, to be honest.”