-April 22,2020-
Visalia Industrial Park still busy
Jostens announces closure
Most companies in the Visalia Industrial Park are still operating this week says Bruce Nicotero, general manager at JoAnn Fabrics. Nicotero heads of the industrial park roundtable.”I see activity all around including across the street at VF Corp and at California Dairies – a block south- where they are very busy processing milk.” Just to the north of the JoAnn facility construction on new industrial buildings is underway at the SE corner of Plaza and Riggin and nearby with several other buildings underway.UPS is nearing completion of their new 450,000sf shipping hub as well. “Most of these businesses- food, logistics, trucking and distribution along with construction – are all essential” he observes.
JoAnn Fabrics distribution center’s volume is down due to the closure of most of their retail stores but their online shipping of product has boomed – a process that is more labor-intensive says Nicotero.”We are working 4 days week but are very busy and “we have not laid anyone off.” Some 250 work at the plant on Plaza. No one has been hit by the COVID virus.
Nicotero say JoAnn Fabrics has suppled fabric for about 75 million masks since the start of the COVID crisis- much it donated. That includes the fabric COS is using to make masks for Kaweah Delta here. Photo above is from San Luis Obispo where fabric stores will be allowed to open to encourage more mask making.
At the south end of the industrial park Mike Pickett says his construction projects are still underway “although new projects coming in the door have slowed down.”
Under construction now is a new 20,000sf building Picket is constructing for ag company Compac Sorters who have outgrown their existing facility in Visalia.
“I am optimistic we are going to come out of this OK “ expects Mike.Their Fresno company-Don Pickett & Associates builds 5000 to 25,000sf spec industrial projects in both Fresno and Visalia along with solar projects.
Long time Visalia employer will close
Not all the news is good. A fixture in the industrial park, Jostens yearbook announced it would close later this year permanently laying off 110.The printing plant that started with just 20,000sf and 20 employees in 1964 grew to 100,000 and some 270 workers when it was doing well.
The plant was welcome back in the 60s when it was hard in an ag region to find full time jobs or any job in winter months when the company needed additional workers. Thanks to historian Terry Ommen for digging up this photo when the company-American Yearbook- announced it would locate here.
Gas selling for $1.47
Gasoline is for sale in Farmersville for $1.47 a gallon, lowest in California this weekend.
High pressure builds
High pressure is building all over the Golden State as the end of the rainy season is behind us.Not so in the US southeast where they continue to get pounded with rain (red in map). Here we sit high and dry with temps set to reach 95 degrees by April 29 in Visalia.
Cotton planting forecast
California Cotton Growers are predicting less cotton planted in the Valley this year. “Depressed prices and a short water supply have weighed heavily” they say with an expected “ 22% decrease in overall cotton acreage for 2020. They predict” approximately 145,300 acres of pima, 17,300 acres of Hazera and 40,900 acres of upland statewide for the 2020 plus or minus 10%.” If it plays out, it will represent a 20% decrease in pima acreage and a 27% decrease in upland acreage in California as compared to 2019.”
Here is the futures price chart showing 55 cent cotton.
