HAZELTON, W.Va. — A newly formed hardwood production company has announced its intentions to locate their headquarters and a manufacturing facility in Preston County.
It was announced Friday by the Preston County Economic Development Authority that Mountain Craft Wide Plank selected the Northpointe Business and Industry Park in Hazelton and held a groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the project.
“The location of the mill and the surrounding area are home to some of the best North American Appalachian hardwoods, and our production site lies within the Hardwood Alliance Zone. Preston County is a great place for our facility,” Matt Thorn, Manager of Mountain Craft Wide Plank said. “Also, wide plank hardwood flooring is a relatively new market of wood flooring, and I believe most people have not seen the type of product that we manufacture and customize.”
The $1 million facility will utilize premium Appalachian hardwoods for the creation wide-plank flooring out of hickory, cherry, maple, red oak and white oak. During initial production, flooring will be offered in six-inch, eight-inch and 10-inch widths with various customizations that can be added to each floor.
“The hardwood flooring industry has annual domestic sales that surpass 500 million square feet a year, and the projections are for an increase over the next two-to-three years,” Thorn said.
The company’s products will be sold primarily to builders, architects and homeowners for new or remodeling construction projects, according to Matt Thorn, Manager of Mountain Craft Wide Plank.
“We’re absolutely delighted that Mountain Craft Wide Plank is investing in both Preston County and the hardwood industry,” Roberta Baylor. Director of the Preston County Economic Development Authority said. “The West Virginia hardwood industry is an important component to our county’s future. We look forward to many years of effective partnership between Preston County and Mountain Craft Wide Plank.”
Construction is scheduled to begin in November, and Thorn said he hopes the company will be in production by the spring of 2015.