FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) -- A company that manufactures funeral hearses, limousines and buses says it plans to close its plant in Fort Smith next spring.
The plant closure by Federal Coach will eliminate 140 jobs. Bill Flint, a spokesman for Federal Coach's parent company, says the plant's workers will be laid off between March 12 and June 30.
Eric Yeager, a company vice president, told Fort Smith Mayor Ray Baker in a letter that Federal Coach has experienced a significant downturn in business.
The letter says the company is combining some of its product lines made in Fort Smith to plants elsewhere.
Flint says the Federal Coach bus line has been sold to Starcraft in Goshen, Ind. The company's hearse line will continue to be marketed but now will be made at a plant in Amelia, Ohio.
