Mehaffy confirmed that the Missouri Department of Economic Development’s Rapid Response Team is working with the company to organize an on-site informational session.
That session is expected to outline available resources for displaced workers, including job placement services, apprenticeship and retraining programs, unemployment filing guidance, and options for healthcare and retirement plan transitions.
Excelsior Springs officials are also considering organizing a local job fair in coordination with the Excelsior Springs Area Chamber of Commerce and the Job Service Center to help the affected workers connect with nearby employers. Mehaffy said outreach to local businesses has already begun.
The Corum Road plant has been a fixture in Excelsior Springs’ industrial landscape for more than four decades. First established as Gates Rubber Company, the facility has operated under several owners and brand names over the years, including Robert Bosch, Gilmour, Fiskars, and, most recently, Lawn & Garden LLC. Despite changes in ownership, the plant has long been a steady employer for the community, manufacturing hoses and other gardening products for national distribution.
Lawn & Garden LLC did not provide additional details about what led to the closure or whether operations will be consolidated elsewhere.
City and state officials announced plans to continue collaborating with company representatives in the coming weeks to finalize the timeline for employee assistance efforts.
The loss of nearly 100 positions will represent one of the largest single-employer layoffs in Excelsior Springs in recent years, with anticipated implications for local families and the regional workforce.
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