Bosma Celebrates ‘Watershed Moment’

Listen to this story

Subscriber Benefit

As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now

This audio file is brought to you by

0:00

0:00

Loading audio file, please wait.

Speed
1.00

• 0.25
• 0.50
• 0.75
• 1.00
• 1.25
• 1.50
• 1.75
• 2.00

Bosma Enterprises has taken the wraps off of its new $6.6 million headquarters in Indianapolis, which the organization says doubles its warehouse space and will create more job opportunities for Hoosiers who are blind or visually impaired. Bosma says the facility is one of the first in the United States to use BlindSquare wayfinding technology, which uses Bluetooth beacons to help employees and clients better navigate their surroundings. Chief Executive Officer Lou Moneymaker says the center "will stand as a national center of excellence."

The 170,000 square-foot facility also features a computer training lab, a bistro and Bosma’s retail store, which is now nearly 400 percent bigger. Bosma says the interior design uses color contrast an the walls and flooring as well as texture changes to help those with visual impairments make their way through the space.

"Advancements in mobile technology is making it easier for someone who is blind or visually impaired to navigate the world," says Bosma Enterprises Assistive Technology Specialist Mendi Evans. "I think technology has really leveled the playing field, and allows individuals who are blind or visually impaired to not only be hired, but be equally successful in the workplace."

The property spans 11 acres, which Moneymaker says gives Bosma the ability to expand without looking for another property. It will house the organization’s disposable medical products packaging and logistics operations, which employ more than 70 people. Bosma packages more than 2,200 cases of exam and surgical gloves every day, and last year shipped more than 480 million gloves to VA hospitals throughout the United States.

Bosma says the new facility will also allow more people to use its employment and rehabilitation programs, which currently serve nearly 1,000 Hoosiers each year. The United Way of Central Indiana awarded Bosma a $750,000 grant to help increase staffing and help reduce the six-month waiting period for its services.