A new division of RV manufacturer Forest River, called East to West and North to South Inc., is setting up shop northwest of Elkhart, in a pair of 100,000-square-foot steel structures that are currently under construction.
This story by Caleb Bauer originally appeared in the South Bend Tribune.
According to a report in the Goshen News, a new five-year tax abatement approved at Saturday’s Elkhart County Council meeting means the company will build two more structures and bring 325 jobs with them.
East to West, along with parent company Forest River, did not respond to four Tribune interview requests on Monday and Tuesday.
Mark Dobson, the president of the Economic Development Corp. of Elkhart County, did not respond to six phone calls from The Tribune on Monday and Tuesday, in an effort to discuss the economic impact of the new production facilities and whether East to West could have difficulty filling the jobs with Elkhart’s near-historic low unemployment rate. Jacqueline Letherman, operations manager of the EDC, said only Dobson is authorized to speak to the media about the new development.
County council member David Foutz said East to West’s new production facilities will use simplified designs for RVs, which will limit the amount of customization available, streamline assembly and reduce costs.
East to West’s website advertises its first towable RV model, the Della Terra. According to a brochure on the site, the RV will be available in eight different floor plans, and built using production processes that prioritize environmental sustainability.
