Kolcraft Enterprises Inc. is closing its plant in Chicago and consolidating its facilities at the Aberdeen plant.

The announcement was made Monday shortly after the Moore County Board of Commissioners agreed to allocate up to $25,000 to reimburse the company for relocation costs.

The consolidation saves 145 local jobs and will mean an additional 23 new jobs at the Kolcraft plant on N.C. 211 in Aberdeen.

Ray Ogden, executive director of Partners in Progress, also reported that the company plans to invest at least $250,000 in equipment at the Aberdeen facility. Partners is the nonprofit economic development agency serving the Moore County community.

"Like many companies, Kolcraft is analyzing its present costs and efficiencies," said Jim Cunliffe, local plant manager. "In an effort to further strengthen Kolcraft's financial position and to further its lean initiatives, the company decided to consolidate its manufacturing operations into its Aberdeen facility."

Kolcraft, which has operated a plant in Moore County since 1984, manufactures children's furnishings. The Aberdeen plant produces crib mattresses.

In other business Monday, the commissioners voted to award contracts to the LS3P Boney and Ware Bonsall architectural firms to design buildings to be erected for the government complex on land adjacent to the existing jail in Carthage. Ware Bonsall, to design the detention center and public safety projects, will receive an estimated $1,664,602, and Boney will receive about $421,200 to design the government office building. The fees represent 5 percent of the estimated cost of construction.

More details about these actions and other business transacted during the meeting will appear in the print version of The Pilot.