Bass Pro boating operation consolidation to impact Missouri plants

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Bass Pro Shops is consolidating some of the operations of its White River Marine Group boat manufacturing division, impacting four plants in Missouri and Oklahoma.

A statement provided yesterday to Springfield Business Journal by Bass Pro indicates part of the White River operation in Bolivar is combining into the company's Lebanon plant, effective immediately. The company plans to close its Miami, Oklahoma, plant in January 2025, relocating boat production from there to a facility in the western Missouri city of Clinton.

The statement notes that 81 positions are impacted by the decision involving the Bolivar and Lebanon plants, with 148 positions affected by the Miami closure.

"The decision to eliminate any position is something we take very seriously," the statement reads. "In appreciation for their dedicated service, the company will continue to treat each outfitter as fairly as possible through the transition. Outfitter pay will continue into 2025.

"Going forward, we will strive to keep as many outfitters employed as possible and explore alternate manufacturing possibilities for our Miami, Oklahoma, manufacturing plant."

Bass Pro officials cited "a continued downturn in the overall recreational boating industry" for the latest operational changes.

"Despite the excellent work of our employees and a series of business moves to help mitigate the downturn, the dual challenge of higher interest rates and inflation have proven too great to overcome with our current structure," the statement reads.

In April, Bass Pro's White River business laid off 176 employees at plants in Bolivar, Lebanon and Flippin, Arkansas, according to past reporting. The layoffs comprised 85 in Lebanon, 70 in Flippin and 21 in Bolivar, with workforce counts after the cuts totaling nearly 900 in Lebanon, more than 500 in Flippin and roughly 400 in Bolivar.