The future of one of Central Alberta’s most prominent manufacturing companies is in question.
Robco Kitchens closed its Gasoline Alley showroom late last week, with its doors still locked on Monday.
A sign posted at the front entrance said, “Robco’s Design Centre is Closed,” and calls to the business prompted a similar message from an answering machine.
An official with Robco, who did not want to be identified, said late Monday that an announcement would be made shortly.
A search through the Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy Canada disclosed no filings of bankruptcy or insolvency, but a staff member with the federal agency said it can take up to 24 hours for such information to be entered into its database.
Officials with a number of Central Alberta homebuilders contacted by the Advocate expressed surprise that Robco had locked its doors. However, a few noted that much of the company’s business was done in the United States, leaving it vulnerable to the moribund American housing market and high Canadian dollar.
During an April 2010 interview with the Advocate, Robco founder and owner Rob Brunner confirmed that these factors, as well as the red tape associated with cross-border trade, had caused Robco to increase its focus on the Western Canadian market.
Born and raised in Red Deer, Brunner had been building houses for about 10 years when, in 1979, he narrowed his focus to cabinetry work.
Initially operating out of a garage, Robco enjoyed steady growth until it relocated from the city to its 69,000-square-foot shop in Red Deer County in 2009.
The company has a reputation for quality, sometimes completing projects from the wood of a single tree to ensure a uniform appearance.
As of last spring, its payroll stood at about 45.
hrichards@www.reddeeradvocate.com