Pulaski County’s largest employer is moving its global headquarters to Carmel.
Wheelchair-lift manufacturer BraunAbility has been headquartered in Winamac since its founding in 1963. But CEO Staci Kroon says most of the company’s executives are commuting from the Indianapolis area — some commute from out of state. The company will move into a new headquarters in Carmel in June, with an adjoining R-and-D center to follow next year. The move will create 68 jobs in Carmel.
Kroon says she doesn’t expect Winamac to lose jobs. BraunAbility’s main factory will remain there, and Kroon says she expects to expand. The Swedish-owned compay also has a plant in Elkhart. Kroon says moving to a major population center will make it easier to conduct business and attract new employees, while still making it easy to travel up U-S 31 to the manufacturing plants.
Along with chair lifts, BraunAbility makes other wheelchair accessories, including chair storage and accessibility add-ons for S-U-V’s.