Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd and Mullican Flooring officials announced today the flooring manufacturer will invest $15 million to expand its Johnson City operations and create 200 new jobs during the next five years.
Mullican Flooring, which ranks among the nation’s top five hardwood flooring producers, will acquire a 126,000-square-foot warehouse at 129 Roweland Drive in Johnson City. The building will be used to store raw materials and finished products. The extra capacity will provide additional space at the company’s Johnson City headquarters and production plant to meet increased manufacturing needs.
“Mullican Flooring is one of Tennessee’s homegrown success stories and I applaud them for their commitment to provide another 200 jobs for Johnson City and Washington County residents,” Haslam said. “Our state’s ideal location, low cost of doing business and the strength of East Tennessee’s workforce make the Volunteer State the perfect place for manufacturing companies to thrive. Mullican Flooring’s decision to invest further in Washington County brings us another step closer to our goal to make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”
“Over the last five years, Tennessee has posted the second-largest percentage increase among Southeastern states in manufacturing GDP, which reached $51.1 billion last year,” Boyd said. “To achieve such gains, we’ve needed to foster a business environment where manufacturers like Mullican Flooring can hit on all cylinders. Mullican Flooring’s expansion speaks volumes to the climate we’ve established for Tennessee businesses, but also to Mullican Flooring’s success as an important corporate citizen and employer. I’d like to thank Mullican Flooring for its continued contribution to Washington County and decision to create 200 new jobs.”
This expansion marks Mullican Flooring’s fourth major growth initiative in Johnson City during the past 16 years. Founded in 1985 as a manufacturer of unfinished solid hardwood flooring, Mullican Flooring moved its corporate headquarters to Johnson City in 2000. The company added prefinished flooring to its product line in 2003. In 2010, Mullican Flooring completed a $6 million expansion at its Johnson City facility that included additional production capabilities. In 2012, the company completed a $12 million expansion project when it relocated its Johnson City headquarters and manufacturing operations to a larger, state-of-the-art facility on Woodlyn Road. That major expansion enabled the company to develop new product lines and shift previously offshored jobs to the United States. Mullican Flooring plans to hire 50 to 80 new employees during the next year. Over the next five years, the company plans to invest approximately $15 million in equipment, buildings and working capital in Johnson City. Once completed, the latest expansion will nearly double the company’s current employment base in Washington County.
“Mullican Flooring has always found Washington County, Johnson City and the state of Tennessee to be exceptional partners to local businesses,” Neil Poland, president of Mullican Flooring, said. “The tremendous work ethic of our existing employees has created a successful foundation at our Johnson City plant to help make this expansion possible. We look forward to reaping the benefits that this expansion will provide to both Mullican Flooring and our hometown community.” The company operates three other manufacturing facilities in Virginia, New York and West Virginia. Mullican Flooring manufactures and sells a variety of prefinished and engineered flooring products through an extensive retail and distribution network across the U.S. and Canada.
“We’re thrilled to see another industry expand in our community,” Tommy Burleson, chair of the Washington County Economic Development Council, said. “Mullican Flooring’s commitment to retain 231 jobs and create an additional 200 new jobs reinforces that this project is not only a great investment for Mullican Flooring, but a great return on investment for our community. We appreciate the confidence Mullican Flooring has placed not only in the Washington County Economic Development Council team but also in our community and in our workforce.”
“I’m excited to hear the news that Mullican Flooring will be expanding in our community,” Johnson City Mayor Clayton Stout said. “We appreciate the opportunity to participate in bringing in these types of quality manufacturing jobs and look forward to the continued success of Mullican Flooring in Johnson City.”
“I am very pleased Mullican Flooring’s management has chosen to again invest and expand in Washington County,” Washington County Mayor Dan Eldridge said. “The decision to create 200 new jobs is not only great news for the economy of our community, but it is also further confirmation of Mullican Flooring’s ability to compete globally from their Johnson City-based operations. This is very encouraging as we look for other significant opportunities for an existing employer to expand or to attract a new employer to this community.”
