Furniture maker to expand, add jobs

MAIDEN - Mary Schronce was one of the 540 employees at Ethan Allen’s plants here who got some good news Thursday.

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During the next three years, 302 more workers will join them as Ethan Allen Operations Inc. leaves a leased facility in California and consolidates those operations in Maiden.

The move, which will include an investment of more than $2.25 million, will replace 150 Maiden jobs lost in layoffs during the past year and will add 152 new jobs.

“We’re sad for the people out there, but it’s a big day for us,“ said Schronce, a customer service representative who has worked at Ethan Allen for nearly 23 years. “With the economy the way it is, I think that for a while there we all thought we were doomed.“

According to the N.C. Employment Security Commission, 11,300 more people in the Greater Hickory Metro were unemployed in April 2009 than in April 2008. About 6,600 of them had been employed in manufacturing.

Unemployment in the Greater Hickory Metro (Alexander, Burke, Caldwell and Catawba counties) was 14.9 percent in April, the highest jobless rate among the state’s 14 metropolitan statistical areas.

“In these challenging times, it is encouraging to see these high-quality jobs coming to Catawba County,“ said Kitty Barnes, chairwoman of the Catawba County Board of Commissioners.

Good economic news has been scarce in the region so far in 2009.

Earlier this year, La-Z-Boy Inc. said it would consolidate wooden-furniture production of three divisions in North Wilkesboro to a larger plant in Lenoir, preserving 200 Caldwell County jobs and adding 30. In May, von Drehle Corp. announced plans for an expansion of its Maiden plant that will add 15 employees. Earlier this week, BSN Medical in Conover said it is expanding its work force by 25 and its facility by 50,000 square feet.

“Ethan Allen is a strong company with a rich heritage, and we are pleased to assist them in strengthening their Maiden facility,“ said Tony Rose, chairman of the Catawba County Economic Development Corp. board.

Ethan Allen operates eight manufacturing facilities in the United States including the two in Maiden, which have made custom upholstered furniture since 1949.

The company received a $109,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund, which provides financial assistance to attract business projects and create new jobs.

The availability of a highly skilled work force was a key factor in Ethan Allen’s decision to expand its Catawba County operations, said Randy Rose, the company’s plant manager in Maiden.

Maiden Mayor Bob Smyre agreed.

“There is no question that the quality and craftsmanship of furniture makers in our area is the best in the world,“ Smyre said.

“Ethan Allen’s commitment to that quality has led them to bring jobs back to Maiden, and add another 150 new jobs. We congratulate them for making that decision.“

Ethan Allen announced plans for the expansion to its work force on Thursday morning. By early afternoon, the news had spread throughout the town of 3,300.

“This is fantastic news for us, just fantastic,“ Smyre said.

Staff members at Scottie’s Bar-B-Q, just up South Main Avenue from the Ethan Allen plants, welcomed the announcement.

“We rely on the plants around here,“ one said.

“When business picks up for them, it picks up for us.“

Want to apply?

Hiring for the Ethan Allen positions will begin immediately. People wishing to apply for employment should go to Ethan Allen’s Web site at http://www.ethanallen.com and check for job postings or apply in person at the Maiden facility on South Main Avenue.