Tolleson, AZ—Ashley Furniture Industries is expanding its furniture manufacturing operations to Tolleson, AZ, in the greater Phoenix area. Production is set to begin by the end of the year.
The world’s largest furniture manufacturer with over $6 billion in sales has leased a 225,000-sq.-ft. site at 8711 West Jefferson Street in Tolleson, where it will create more than 200 new manufacturing jobs. The company has already started hiring and hosted an onsite recruiting event on December 8, welcoming walk-ins to apply for first shift manufacturing positions.
This new location expands Ashley’s already established national network of 13 production facilities servicing the U.S. The company’s multi-million-dollar investment will be put toward updating the facility along with machinery and equipment costs. The Tolleson location is set to begin manufacturing upholstered furniture later this month.
Separately, Ashley Furniture Industries will acquire Wilson Logistics, an 800-truck, 2,000 trailer West Coast trucking firm serving the Pacific Northwest. Wilson has been a service provider to Ashley Distribution Services, and will now work under that brand, according to the Journal of Commerce.
“The high demand for furniture has led us to increase our manufacturing, distribution and retail operations. We couldn’t be more thrilled to expand operations into the state of Arizona. Local leadership has been very welcoming, and we look forward to working together on this landmark project,” says Todd Wanek, president and CEO, Ashley Furniture Industries.
Established in 1945, Ashley designs, manufactures, and distributes home furnishings through retail, e-commerce and wholesale markets. The family-owned company is headquartered in Arcadia, WI, and sells furniture in more than 20,000 storefronts in 155 countries around the globe. Ashley maintains plants across the United States and also operates several factories (including its largest) in Pacific Rim countries such as Vietnam and China. It also has sourcing offices in India, Vietnam, Southern China, Muar, and Taiwan. Earlier this year, the company announced its plan to invest more than $1.5 billion into the organization over the course of 18 months.
“At Ashley, we hire for attitude and train for skill,” says Danna Szwed, executive VP of human resources at Ashley Furniture Industries. Jobs at Ashley’s Phoenix site are posted online.
