Ashley Furniture Industries has announced plans to open a new facility near Pottsville.

The multimillion-dollar investment will create more than 50 new jobs for the area.

Hiring started in early February with production beginning at the end of February. The new 100,000-square-foot facility, located at 50 E. Keystone Blvd., in Schuylkill County, serves as a furniture manufacturing site.

This latest addition expands the company’s already established national network of 11 production facilities servicing the U.S. The Pottsville location will work in coordination with Ashley’s Leesport advanced manufacturing and distribution facility, located roughly 25 miles to the south. The company’s multimillion-dollar investment will be put toward updating the facility along with machinery and equipment costs.

“The high demand for furniture has led us to increase our manufacturing operations which supports brick-and-mortar retail, as well as our e-commerce growth. We are very excited to join the Pottsville community as well as continue to better serve our customers,” said Todd Wanek, President and CEO, Ashley Furniture Industries. “The investments we’re making in our company are not only significant, they demonstrate our willingness to reinvest in our people, our facilities and our machinery to ensure we are well-positioned to meet our customers’ expectations.”

“In the throes of this pandemic, we are fortunate and excited to have Ashley Furniture, a nationally recognized company, join our list of well-known firms providing employment opportunities in Schuylkill County,” noted Dave Snyder, chairman of the Schuylkill Economic Development Corporation, the nonprofit economic development organization which helped develop the Highridge Business Park.

Established in 1945, Ashley designs, manufactures and distributes home furnishings through retail, e-commerce and wholesale markets. The company is headquartered in Arcadia, Wisconsin, and sells furniture in more than 20,000 storefronts in 155 countries around the globe. Earlier this year, the company announced its plan to invest $1 billion into the organization over the next 18 months.

Ashley’s Northeast Regional Manufacturing and Distribution Center in Leesport was established in 2004 and manufactures stationary upholstery furniture. The facility underwent a substantial distribution center expansion in 2017 and is 1,721,000 square feet in size with 40 acres under one roof.

Ashley Furniture Industries feels that every person deserves more value for their money. Established in 1945, Ashley is the largest manufacturer of home furnishings in the world, and was named one of America’s Best Employers by Forbes in 2021. From design through fulfillment, Ashley is committed to delivering the world’s best home furnishing values, selection and service, and earning the loyalty and trust of its customers every day. Visit Ashley online at www.ashleyfurnitureindustriesllc.com and “like” Ashley Furniture Industries on Facebook.