PHOTO: Courtesy Easymobility.com
NEW ALBANY, Miss.–Two companies announced plans to open and hire people in north Mississippi Wednesday. Emerald Home Furnishings will open in the facility formerly occupied by Hickory Springs in New Albany and Pride Mobility Corp. will open up in the former Genesis Furniture facility in Pontotoc.
Each company has promised a $2 million investment and each has promised 150 jobs.
“The decision by the Emerald Home Furnishings team to locate these operations in New Albany is great news for north Mississippi, and it will further bolster the region’s growing presence in the furniture industry,” said Gov. Phil Bryant in a news release from his camp. “Economic development is a competitive field, and I thank the company for recognizing the many advantages of a Mississippi location and for creating so many new jobs in Union County. I wish the company many years of success in New Albany.”
“We were delighted with the combined efforts of The Mississippi Development Authority, along with Three Rivers Planning and Development District, the city of New Albany, Union County, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. All of these entities teamed together to create a vision of the opportunity of manufacturing in Mississippi,” said David Beckmann, CEO of Emerald Home Furnishings. “We are a Seattle-based company and have been importing for decades, but this is our first effort in manufacturing upholstery in the U.S. The commitment to business in North Mississippi and the outstanding quality of the workforce here made our decision very easy.”
The Mississippi Development Authority provided assistance in support of the project for building renovations. Union County, Appalachian Regional Commission, and Tennessee Valley Authority assisted with the project, as well.
“We strive to provide our new and existing companies with a business environment that fosters sustainable growth, success and innovation, and we thank Emerald Home Furnishings for placing its confidence in our business climate and trust in our workforce,” said MDA Interim Executive Director Manning McPhillips. “We look forward to working with the company again in the future.”
Emerald Home Furnishings® is a full-line supplier to home furniture retailers throughout the United States and in other countries around the world, including Canada, Mexico, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, England, Guatemala, Saudi Arabia, and Costa Rica. Started in 1962 as B&D Sales by Bond and Doug Shippy, the company distributed bed frames and unfinished furniture. Today, the company’s product lineup includes fabric and leather upholstery, motion furniture, casual and formal dining room furniture, bedroom suites, a complete line of occasional tables, as well as entertainment, home office, and accent chairs. For more information, visit www.emeraldhome.com.
As far as Pride Mobility goes, they have promised to put people to work making rehab chairs and scooters.
“Today is a great day for Pontotoc as Pride Mobility becomes the newest member of Mississippi’s business community. Again and again, companies are choosing Mississippi. These 150 new jobs will positively affect the local community and north Mississippi region well into the future,” said Bryant. “I thank the Pride Mobility team for choosing to invest in our state and for placing its trust in our workforce. I wish the company many successful years in Pontotoc.”
“We at Pride Mobility Products are proud to become a part of the Pontotoc community as a manufacturer within both the local region and the state of Mississippi,” said Pride Mobility Chairman and CEO Scott Meuser. “The Mississippi Development Authority has played an instrumental role in the establishment of our facility, and the MDA reflects the remarkable opportunities for commerce that the state and region present. Most of all, we’re privileged to draw from such a dedicated local workforce, where the success of our venture will extend not just to the employees, but to their families and the community.”
The Mississippi Development Authority also provided assistance in support of the project for building improvements. The city of Pontotoc, Pontotoc County, Tennessee Valley Authority and the Appalachian Regional Commission provided assistance, as well.
“MDA is grateful to Pride Mobility for realizing the numerous advantages of a Mississippi location, including the state’s productive workforce, and we look forward to working with the company in the future,” said McPhillips. “Recruiting new businesses to the state requires the collaboration of economic developers at all levels, and we congratulate the teams at TVA, Three Rivers Planning and Development District, the city of Pontotoc and Pontotoc County on their success in bringing Pride Mobility to north Mississippi.”
Pride Mobility Products® Corporation is the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of mobility products including Jazzy® Power Chairs, Go-Go® Travel Mobility, Pride® Mobility Scooters, Pride® Lift Chairs, and Pride® Lifts and Ramps. The Pride® family of companies also includes Quantum® Rehab, a leader in complex rehab power chairs with the Q6® Series of power bases, TRU-Balance® Power Positioning Systems, and Q-Logic Drive Controls, as well as Stealth® Products, the foremost manufacturer of positioning components. Headquartered in Exeter, Pa., Pride also has operations in Australia, Canada, China, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit www.pridemobility.com.
