Wellborn Cabinets In Ashland Expands To Oxford | National News

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Wellborn Cabinets in Ashland, Ala. is expanding its manufacturing capacity to Oxford, with a $17 million project. The company plans to create nearly 400 jobs over the next five years.

The new multi-million-dollar plant will be built on 60 acres at the Oxford West Industrial Park and officials are anticipating construction beginning after Jan. 1, 2023.

“The company is anticipating construction to begin after the first of the year, and completion of the construction should be about 18 months after that,” said Don Hopper, executive director of Calhoun County’s Economic Development Council. “We entered into discussions on this project sometime last year. This is just growth for Wellborn. They are growing and needing space to grow.”

Hopper said the first two years could see upwards of 200 new jobs, and in the few years after, Wellborn expects to have around 400 new jobs in the area. He also said the new jobs will be a mixture of people already living in the area getting a new job and people moving to the area for a new job.

“People are always looking to increase their position or pay,” said Hopper. “The more companies you have in the area, the more opportunity you have in the communities.”

If individuals do move to Oxford for the new cabinet manufacturing plant, Hopper said there are several housing subdivisions under construction in the area.

The average starting wage for the new plant is currently estimated to be around $17 an hour. Hopper said the company will do around $12 million in payroll annually and that the economic impact from that would be great for the Oxford and Calhoun County area.

Wellborn Cabinets, Inc. is a family-owned manufacturer based in Ashland and is one of the largest cabinet makers in North America. Wellborn Cabinet, Inc., was founded in 1961 in by Paul and Doug Wellborn. The company began manufacturing low-cost kitchen and bath cabinets and specializing in kitchen and bath cabinet contract sales for government-financed housing. In 1986, Paul Wellborn purchased the company, became sole owner, and changed the company’s customer base largely to residential kitchen and bath dealers.

Alexander City’s own Wellborn Forest (WF) Cabinetry started from Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. in 1986 when it split from the Ashland operation and began producing framed cabinets at a new facility in Alexander City.

Kaitlin Fleming is the managing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. To reach Kaitlin, email kaitlin.fleming@alexcityoutlook.com.

Originally published on alexcityoutlook.com, part of the TownNews Content Exchange.

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