Ashley Furniture has announced that it will be doubling the size of its facility in Whitehall, Wis., adding more than 200 new jobs,
WQOW-TV
in Eau Claire, Wis., reports.
"We're investing back in the manufacturing facility," says Ashley Furniture CEO Todd Wanek. "This year we will be investing $6 million in an expansion of a physical plant and equipment. Then over the next five years, we expect to add 225 more associates to our company."
Wanek explained that 2011 was a very good year for Ashley Furniture.
"We were rated the number one furniture manufacturer in the United States and the number one furniture retailer in the United States. We were able to grow in excess of 10 percent during that period of time."
Wisconsin Governor Walker helped break ground on Ashley Furniture's 80,000 square foot addition to its production facility.
"We'd like to make sure that whether it's 225 or 25 jobs, this sends a strong message to other employers that Wisconsin is a good place to do business in," says the governor.
Governor Walker says Tuesday's expansion is a step in the right direction for the state. The addition is expected to be completed by December.