June 22, 2004
Contact: Keith A. Taylor, Economic Development Director, James City County, VA
Phone: (757) 253-6607
Lumber Liquidators Brings Headquarters to James City County
The arrival of, Lumber Liquidators, Inc., finishers and distributors of bulk hardwood flooring , to the John Deere site at Stonehouse Commerce Park helps seal the Stonehouse area's recovery and re-establishes it as a viable light industrial park. AVID Medical, Design Master Associates, Nicewood and Wythe Will Distributing are other businesses at the 220-acre light industrial park, part of the 7300-acre Stonehouse mixed-use development.
The company acquired the 309,000 square foot building and 74.4-acre site for $8-million and will bring $4.5-million of equipment to its new facility.
Lumber Liquidators expects to bring up to 300 jobs to the area within a year or so, according to company president Tom Sullivan. The 10-year-old company has 55 retail locations in 30 states. They will relocate their headquarters, customer services, distribution and manufacturing operations to
"Certainly we're pleased that the property is productive once again and will be a source of employment," said Stonehouse District Board of Supervisors member Andy Bradshaw.
"Occasionally when we have recruited businesses, we have recruited businesses that may have paid a bit more and may have had more intensive capital investment, but this company appears to be one that compensates well," Bradshaw said.
Sullivan said jobs at his new facility would be a mix of manufacturing, distribution and administrative positions. Manufacturing positions, as well as openings in the company's call center, will pay $10 to $15 per hour, he added.
The Virginia Chamber of Commerce recently recognized Lumber Liquidators Inc. as one of the state's 50 fastest-growing companies in 2003, with sales of $102 million last year, compared to $25 million in 2000. This year, Sullivan expects sales to reach between $150 and $170 million.
The company's move to
"We bring a lot of containers into the ports," Sullivan explained. Plus, he said, the rapidly growing business "needs more room and better facilities."
"We are pleased that the building has been redeployed after having been vacant as long as it has been," said James City County