November 1 , 2011 Nashville, Tennessee –
Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty along with company officials announced today that Mullican Flooring will be expanding its operations in Johnson City, Tennessee and creating 164 jobs. The company, a leading U.S. hardwood floor manufacturer, will relocate all manufacturing operations to the former Superior Industries building where a new production line will be added. The move and expansion represents a $12 million investment over the next three years.
When a long-standing Tennessee company like Mullican Flooring chooses to expand right here in our state, it is a great indicator of the business friendly climate we are working hard to maintain and improve,” Haslam said. “I thank Mullican’s leadership for their confidence in the Tennessee workforce, for the new jobs they are creating in Washington County and for their growing investment in the Volunteer State.”
“Mullican Flooring’s announcement today is another indicator that existing Tennessee companies are yielding positive results for our state’s economy in terms of new jobs created and capital invested,” Hagerty said. “We are excited about Mullican’s expansion plans and look forward to working with the company as they ramp up production in Johnson City.”
The new line will produce engineered hardwood flooring and replace a segment of the company’s engineered volume that is currently sourced in Asia, effectively bringing jobs back to the U.S.
“We believe we’re on the leading edge of a trend by U.S. manufacturers to shift jobs back to American soil,” Mullican Flooring President Neil Poland said. “The high quality workforce available in the Johnson City area has made the expansion of our production line a reality.”
Mullican Flooring currently employs 130 people at its existing Johnson City plant located on University Parkway. These employees will be relocated to the new facility on Woodlyn Road during the first quarter of 2012. With the expansion and relocation, the company anticipates employing close to 300 people in the Johnson City area by 2015.
Founded in 1985, Mullican Flooring is headquartered in Johnson City and is the country’s second largest manufacturer of solid hardwood flooring. The company also operates plants in Norton, Va., Ronceverte, W. Va. and Holland, N.Y. For more information visit www.mullicanflooring.com.
