Wolverine sells Big Rapids manufacturing facility
02/10/2017
All of its outstanding contracts with the DoD will be transferred to Tennessee-based footwear manufacturer Original Footwear.
Wolverine has said the move is designed to “improve the future viability” of the Big Rapids factory. Original Footwear qualifies as a “small business”, it explained, which will allow it access to a number of contracts not available to “large” corporations like Wolverine.
Original Footwear will become a footwear supplier to Wolverine under the terms of the deal, while Wolverine will retain ownership of the Bates brand, the model that the Big Rapids facility primarily manufactures.
"We firmly believe that the sale of the Big Rapids factory and the DoD business to Original Footwear is in the best interest of the Big Rapids operation,” said Blake Krueger, Wolverine chairman and chief executive. “With new ownership, we feel the factory is better positioned to win additional contracts that will retain important manufacturing jobs for the community."
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