Berkshire Hathaway's Shaw Industries Group, Inc. will invest at least $40 million and hire more than 25 new associates in South Pittsburg, Tenn., to meet the growing demand for its Epic? engineered flooring product.
"Marion County could not be more pleased to see the commitment of additional capital investment and new jobs being created by Shaw in our county. We greatly appreciate the confidence the company has shown in our citizens and community by announcing this expansion in South Pittsburg," said Marion County Mayor John Graham.
South Pittsburg Mayor Jane Dawkins noted, "We are excited about the growth of Shaw in our city and look forward to continued involvement with them as a good corporate partner. This expansion project is a confirmation of the company's long term commitment to South Pittsburg, Marion County and the State of Tennessee."
The expansion will add more than 60 percent capacity to the existing hardwood manufacturing facility. Construction is set to begin in late 2013 and is the latest in Shaw's efforts to expand and enhance its hardwood manufacturing. Plant HW, which currently employees 200 associates, has already grown by 65 associates this year as a result of Shaw increasing the number of shifts it is operating at the facility.
"Tennessee has the best balance sheet in the country and the kind of business friendly environment where incumbent companies like Shaw Industries Group, Inc. can feel confident to reinvest and further their growth," Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty said. "I want to thank Shaw Industries Group, Inc. for being a valued corporate citizen and appreciate these new jobs they will create for Tennesseans."
The announcement represents the company's continuous efforts to adapt to market demands and preferences. Shaw transformed this former yarn plant into one of the most sophisticated and technologically advanced hardwood flooring manufacturing facilities across Shaw's entire portfolio - and the largest engineered flooring facility of its kind in the world. Additionally, in recent months, the company implemented $26 million in technology and automation to improve efficiency, cost, safety, material yield and waste reduction improvements at its hardwood facilities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.
"The expansion of the South Pittsburg hardwood operation is an important component in our overall hardwood strategy. By investing in this plant and our other hardwood facilities, we are enhancing our ability to offer the widest product mix, the most innovative design, and the greatest quality and service to our customers," said Shaw Chairman and CEO Vance Bell.
Since entering the hardwood flooring business in 2006, Shaw has become the second largest and fastest growing hardwood manufacturer in the market. Producing hardwood flooring under the Shaw, AndersonTM and Zickgraf brands, the company operates nine hardwood facilities, including Plant HW, where it manufactures its Shaw Epic engineered hardwood.
This is the latest in a series of expansion announcements from Shaw, which recently unveiled plans for a new carpet tile plant in Adairsville, Ga., opened a carpet tile plant in China to serve the Asian market, and announced the expansion of its distribution and extrusion operations in northwest Georgia.
