Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that United Furniture Industries NC LLC, a national manufacturer of residential upholstered furniture, will expand in North Carolina by opening a new facility in Davidson County. The company plans to create 150 jobs and invest more than $3.3 million during the next three years in Lexington. The announcement was made possible in part by a $125,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund.
“Furniture manufacturing is a North Carolina heritage industry, which continues to evolve and adapt to meet the challenges of a global marketplace,” said Gov. Perdue. “Our top business climate, skilled workforce and superb quality of life are proving attractive to companies looking for the perfect location to grow their operations.”
United Furniture Industries NC is a wholly owned subsidiary of United Furniture Industries Inc., headquartered in Okolona, Miss. The company produces affordable living room furniture, including sofas, chairs, recliners, sleepers and other items. United Furniture currently has five locations, including three in Mississippi and two in North Carolina. The N.C. facilities, located in Archdale and High Point, together employ about 400 people.
United Furniture plans to purchase the vacant Stanley Furniture distribution facility for a new plant in Lexington. The company will assemble frame materials, foam and upholstered material from outside vendors into finished furniture products.
While salaries will vary by job function, the new positions will pay an average annual wage of $29,032, not including benefits, which is comparable to the Davidson County average annual wage of $29,640.
“Davidson County and Lexington were chosen as a result of availability of facilities and workforce, cooperation of state and local officials, and proximity to our existing North Carolina facilities and our customer base,” said Larry George, president of United Furniture Industries. “We look forward to continuing our growth and presence in North Carolina and would like to thank all of those involved in making this happen.”
The One NC Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state. Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and investment performance standards to qualify for grant funds. These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches.
“Making the right investments to create jobs in North Carolina is critical during these tough economic times,” said Rep. Hugh Holliman. “This is a perfect fit for Davidson County with our tremendously skilled furniture workers.”
North Carolina continues to have a top-ranked business climate. Through Gov. Perdue’s JobsNOW initiative, the state will work aggressively to create jobs, train and retrain its workforce, and lay the foundation for a strong and sustainable economic future.
Through use of the One NC Fund, more than 40,000 jobs and $7 billion in investment have been created since 2001. Other project partners include: the N.C. Department of Commerce, N.C. Department of Transportation, Davidson County, City of Lexington and the North Carolina Railroad Co.
For more information on United Furniture Industries job opportunities, contact Davidson Works Executive Director Catherine Lambeth at 915 Greensboro St., Lexington, N.C., 27292, or phone (336) 242-2065.