In a process that has taken nearly a full year, a Court of Queen’s Bench Judge has approved the sale of Morris Industries to Rite Way Manufacturing.

Morris, which has been operating in credit protection since January, manufactures air carts, drills, seeders, harrow bars and bale carriers. The company was founded in 1929 and remained a family owned business until 2007.

Rite Way has its main plant located in Imperial, about 130 kilometres north of Regina. The company makes rock pickers, land rollers, heavy harrows and bale carts.

Included in the deal are the Morris head office in Saskatoon, the manufacturing plant in Minnedosa, Manitoba, plus all patents and related intellectual property.

The agreement did not include the Morris manufacturing facility in Yorkton, which originally opened in 1949. Fifty employees were laid off earlier this year, and now the remaining 20 will be out of work as well.

The court appointed monitor said no other party had expressed an interest to purchase, acquire or operate the Yorkton plant.

It is a blow to the local economy, according to the executive director of the Yorkton Chamber of Commerce.

“Morris Industries has been a cornerstone business in Yorkton for over seven decades,” said Juanita Polegi. “The loss of so many high paying jobs will have an effect on the local economy.”

The sale of Morris assets to Rite Way is expected to close by the end of the year.

(Photo credit: Morris website)