This year "Central", the Reliance Manufacturing company plant at 1226 Washington St., marks its 36th anniversary while the parent company celebrates 50 years' growth from a small shirt factory in Michigan City to one of the country's largest producers of popular-priced apparel.
Marlboro Reopens
January 6, 1964
Leasing of the plant and facilities of the Marlboro Shirt factory at 1220 Washington Street to Roviar Sportswear Inc., a manufacturing subsidiary of the Arthur Jay Company of Milwaukee, Wis., was announced today.
Victor Jay, president, said management and production personnel for the new operation will be drawn from the former employees of the Marlboro division of Reliance Manufacturing company, owner of the plan.
The local plant will make Junior Miss brand suits, coats and rainwear, products which are sld. by the Arthur Jay company through department and specialty stores throughout the United States.
Arthur Wells, plant supervisor for the local plan when it was operated under both the Marlboro and Reliance names, will continue in charge of the plant for the new owners.
"We are pleased to announce," said Mr. Jay, "that all of the supervisory personnel will be retained by the new management. The plant will start its new operation with a sewing force of about 100 and hopes to gradually build up to its full capacity, and eventually to employ as many of the former employees as possible."
Mr. Wells said that he began calling laid-off workers back to work today and that he expects that the seasonal peak of 300 workers will be reached by mid-summer. It is about the same as in the past. All hourly workers were laid off before the end of 1963.
Mr. Jay's statement continued:
"The management is particularly happy to locate its new production facility in Columbus. After much searching for a new factory, we were impressed with the abundant, skilled work force available in the community. While the type of product will not be the same as manufactured by Marlboro, we feel that with very little retraining, the same operators will be able to convert to their new products."
Roviar Sportswear Inc.
1964
Young fashions for the junior miss are produced by Roviar Sportswear Inc. in its large plant at 1220 Washington Street, employing from 200 to 250 persons.
Roviar is among Columbus' newer companies and is a division of the Arthur Jay Company of Milwaukee, Wis.
It took over the former plant of Reliance Manufacturing Company and the company's line, sold under the Arthur Jay label, includes sports coats, raincoats and suits.
Victor Jay is president of both companies and Robert Stitzberg is Vice-President. Andrew Scanlon is director of manufacturing at the Columbus plan. The company's design staff is headed by Antonio Teranova, who came to the firm from Italy, and Miss Nancy Andrews.
The plant was established here in 1912 by Reliance, which had its first small shirt factory at Michigan City. "Central", as the local plant was called for many years, was the second plant of Reliance Manufacturing and was the first big employer of women in Columbus. At the very beginning 100 women were employed at making shirts. The company manufactured uniforms for the AEF in the first world war and produced more than three million pairs of Navy whites in addition to thousands of Army field jackets in the second world war.
The plant has been enlarged several times and modernized. The largest expansion was after the second war, extending the building northward.
For 25 years, Relience operated a dormitory for its women employees in the big frame building which formerly stood on Washington Street just north of the plant. This building was erected originally as a sanitarium and health resort.
It was torn down in 1944.
Roviar Liquidation by Jan. 31
January 7, 1977
Plan for complete liquidation of Roviar Sportswear, Inc. of Columbus was adopted unanimously by the corporate directors and shareholders at a special meeting Monday.
The corporation is to be dissolved and liquidated by the end of January.
Roviar has principle offices at 1220 Washington. Persons who have a claim against the corporation may file them with Otto F Schug, attorney at Law, PO Box 1104, 1220 Washington St. in Columbus, on or before Jan. 24.
Roviar commenced business here in 1963 after acquiring the Reliance Manufacturing Company's 2-story facility at 1220 Washington. It closed late in 1975 because of general economic conditions and severe competition from low price imports. About 175 persons were employed by the company at the time it was closed.
Since that time, Columbus Sportswear has opened in the former Roviar building. The new company currently employs about 60 persons.
Factory 12 Event Loft opened in October 2007. Factory 12 Event Loft has been one of the largest venues to open in Columbus, Indiana in some time.
The event loft is located in the downtown area and inside one of Columbus’ historic buildings the “Roviar Building”, which was originally a sewing factory in the early 1900’s. From weddings & receptions to corporate events…the loft space is designed for a variety of customized special events.
Articles
Read these articles for further detail on the building's history:
