FORT SMITH (KFSM) -- The heating and air conditioning company Rheem began 90 years ago, and for half of that time its only commercial factory has been in Fort Smith.
Employees at the plant celebrated 45 years in Fort Smith on Thursday (Sept. 10).
Vice President and General Manager of Rheem’s Air Conditioning Division Mike Branson said he expects there will be many more celebrations in the future.
“I am confident that we are doing the right things to be here for decades,” he said. “The thing that would change that is if we do not deliver on the promises that we are putting together."
He said the company is investing millions of dollars in changes at the plant, including redesigning the inside of the building.
"In order to really have the best productivity that we need and be able to have products get to the market faster, we need to re-layout this factory with some new technologies,” Branson said. “And you can see how it is a much more streamlined look in terms of how we are sectioned, how product material will come in and how product will flow out."
Branson said the company is also working on redesigning every product manufactured in Fort Smith.
“It has been over a decade since we have done a comprehensive change of all of the commercial focused products,” he said, adding that those changes will take years.
The company will not release how many employees it has, but said some seasonal employees will cycle out at the end of the year.