Covercraft Expected to Relocate to Oklahoma

Covercraft Industries, a Northridge manufacturer of protective covers for cars, is expected to move its operations to Oklahoma, resulting in the loss of 220 jobs.

Martin Lichtmann, Covercraft’s president, said the likely move is prompted by a variety of factors that he said made it tough to do business in Southern California, including high wage rates, workers’ compensation costs and environmental regulations. The privately owned company has been in Northridge for 20 years.

Lichtmann said Covercraft was 95% sure it will move by the first quarter of 1994, when the lease on its 100,000-square-foot plant expires. He said workers have been notified and a final decision is expected within two weeks.