Flaggs: Progress in Vicksburg not possible without Cappaert Manufactured Housing’s influence
Published 2:14 pm Friday, June 2, 2023
Vicksburg Mayor George Flaggs Jr. said he is hopeful the sale of a locally owned manufactured housing company will help minimize negative impacts on the local job market.
Flaggs said he has not been formally notified of the closure but read The Post’s article about the closing and anticipated sale.
“(The business closing) is going to have an adverse effect on the city, and hopefully we can work with other employers to minimize the impact of lost jobs on our workforce,” Flaggs said.
Sources have confirmed that Cappaert Manufactured Housing closed its doors two months ago and is in the process of being acquired by an outside company with the intent to resume production. The mobile home company employed an estimated 250 people prior to closing.
“I want to commend the family for all they’ve done in Vicksburg, and I don’t think the progress that has been made in Vicksburg over the years could’ve been made without their hard work,” Flaggs said.
Cappaert Manufactured Housing was one of Vicksburg’s longest-standing industries, having been founded in 1987 by Mike Cappaert, the son of Magnolia Mobile Homes founder F.L. Cappaert. At one time, Cappaert Manufactured Housing was the largest mobile home manufacturer in the United States.
Losing 250 stable jobs is a blow to the community, Flaggs said, but he is optimistic that the anticipated acquisition by an outside company will allow employees to return to work.