Renovations are already underway at Jasper Group’s newly acquired 1.2 million square-foot facility as the company announces plans to expand its furniture manufacturing operations and create more than 300 new jobs by 2021.
Updates to the Orleans, Indiana, facility include new manufacturing equipment and upgrading the IT infrastructure. The company has already begun producing laminate casegoods and tables at the location, and said it plans to expand the production capabilities to include upholstered products and veneer casegoods and tables. The facility, which also serves a warehouse and shipping hub, marks the company’s seventh manufacturing site and will be its largest operations center.
“Our family at Jasper Group continues to grow as we begin operations at this new facility in Orange County,” said Mike Elliott, president, CEO and chairman of the board for Jasper Group. “Indiana continues to be the ideal location for our growth, and we look forward to welcoming talented individuals of the furniture craft to our growing team as we work to provide a high-quality product and great service at the right price.”
The company has already started hiring for logistics, IT, engineering, customer service, manufacturing and corporate positions. It currently employs more than 1,000 people in its Indiana facilities, and more than 2.3 million square feet of manufacturing space.
“In Indiana, manufacturing companies like Jasper Group have elevated our reputation as a leader in the manufacturing sector,” said Gov. Eric Holcomb. “I commend the Jasper Group team for their continued growth, and I pledge that Indiana will maintain a pro-growth business environment and provide the skilled workforce they need to be successful in the years ahead.”
Jasper first announced its plans to purchase the 1.2 million-square-foot facility, which formerly housed Paoli’s furniture manufacturing operations, a few months ago. The company is receiving performance-based incentives from the Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC), including conditional tax credits up to $2 million, up to $100,000 in training grants based on plans to create up to 316 new jobs. The town of Orleans offered additional incentives at the request of the Orange County Economic Development Partnership, and Radius Indiana will provide additional incentives to support workforce training through its Regional Impact Fund.
Established in 1929, Jasper Group is headquartered in Jasper, Indiana. Its brands include JSI, which makes office furniture for business interiors; Community, which makes contract furniture for public spaces; Klem, which makes furniture for hospitality; and Jasper Desk, which makes custom furniture for business interiors.
