NORTHWOOD, Iowa &045; An estimated 150 jobs could open up in Northwood due to the re-opening of an old factory.

Woodharbor Doors and Cabinetry, Inc., a Mason City, Iowa-based company, has reacquired the old Northwood Doors plant, which closed in 2001. They are expected to start production in August or September.

&uot;We’re very excited about it,&uot; said Curtis Lewerke, President of Woodharbor.

&uot;It’s just a fantastic opportunity and a very unique situation for us. We can have separation between the manufacturing of our product lines, which will make our manufacturing more effective and help us to easier growth in the future.&uot;

Lewerke had originally owned the property for another company of his, Fieldstone Cabinetry, in 1978. But as the company grew, they merged with a Detroit-based business and moved to a larger facility in Mason City. In 1993, Lewerke broke away from that company and started Woodharbor, which currently employs 400 workers in Mason City.

The Northwood plant will strictly manufacture interior passage doors. The Mason City plant will focus on cabinetry.

It will employ from 60-70 employees when it begins in August, but Lewerke expects that 150 jobs could be created within two years. Lewerke said the company will probably make any future expansions in manufacturing in Northwood over the next six years.

&uot;I think it’s tremendous for the community,&uot; said Bob Perry, mayor of Northwood. &uot;Being involved in a (downtown) revitalization program, it certainly is extremely important to get these jobs. It’s to the benefit of all.&uot;

Northwood has recently implemented a downtown-revitalization program that gives low-interest loans and other financial help to businesses who would like to open or expand downtown. Perry a 150 more jobs will be a draw for more business.

&uot;When (Northwood Door) were employing 300 people, only about half were from Northwood,&uot; he said. &uot;So it brings a lot of outside people in to our local businesses.&uot;

Perry said the company is likely to ask for tax-increment financing and other city help in starting their plant up.

Last week the Worth County Board of Supervisors voted to give $6 million in industrial revenue bonding capacity to Woodharbor. The county is not actually getting the bond, according to Kay Clark, Worth County Auditor, but using its name to get the bonds for Woodharbor. She said there is no liability to the county.

The company will be renovating the 180,000-square-foot building to their needs over the spring and summer months.

Lewerke said he is happy to have a business in Northwood again. He said he chose the area because he’d had a good experience working with the economic development organization when he started in 1978, he knows the area well, and it is a good distance from Mason City for shipping as well as worker saturation.

&uot;We are pleased to be getting back to Northwood,&uot; he said. &uot;It’s a very good community.&uot;