Boss Mfg. brings warehouse operations to Galesburg
Kewanee glove maker to rent building on McClure Street
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Saturday, April 28, 2007
GALESBURG - The Galesburg Regional Economic Development Association announced Friday Boss Manufacturing Co., the primary subsidiary of Boss Holdings Inc., will be using the former Wittek building at 519 McClure St. to warehouse its products.The building, once owned by the Gale Products Division of Outboard Marine Corp., is best known for being the home of Wittek Industries in the early 1990s. It also once housed the printing press formerly used to publish The Register-Mail.
"Boss is fortunate to have found quality, affordable warehouse space close to our main distribution facilities in Kewanee," said Beverly Williams of Boss Manufacturing.
GREDA spokeswoman Michelle Smith said Boss will be using only a portion of the 228,560-square-foot building. Linda Utsinger, GREDA's vice president of business development, said Boss will use about 30,000 square feet.
"There's room for expansion," Utsinger said. "If they keep growing, we keep growing."
Boss will employ "probably only four or five for starters," Utsinger said. "I've been working with them off and on for the past couple of years. What I'm hoping is now that they have a presence in town, they will continue to grow here. ... They've been looking. Their needs have changed off and on and they need some additional space."
Utsinger said All Core Specialists is the other tenant at 519 McClure St., using about 40,000 square feet of space.
Founded in 1893, Boss markets and distributes work gloves and protective wear throughout the United States and Canada and is the exclusive licensee for Caterpillar gloves and rainwear. Boss products also include a comprehensive line of non-food pet supplies sold through the Boss Pet Products subsidiary, latex balloons distributed through Boss Balloon Co., hats with LED lights sold through the Boss Head-Lite Div. and specialty promotional products sold through Galaxy Balloon Inc.
"I was out doing some gardening and I look down at my gloves and realized they were Boss gloves," Utsinger said from her home Friday afternoon.
