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Pulaski cements its furniture
Virginia Business
April
2005
The three historic districts that make
up downtown Pulaski pay tribute to a prosperity once
tied to railroads and coal. The town’s future,
however, now lies in cement, specifically, fiber cement,
a type of material used in interior and exterior home
construction that doesn’t mildew, warp or burn.
James Hardie Industries, the largest maker of such products
in North America, plans to spend close to $100 million
to build a major manufacturing facility in Pulaski Business
Park.
Construction, which will take up a 52-acre
site and include two highly automated manufacturing
lines, began in March. The first line is scheduled to
be completed in early 2007 and will turn out exterior
siding and backerboard, a protective cement board placed
beneath kitchen and bathroom tile to guard against rot,
swelling and water damage.
Louis Gries, CEO of James Hardie, says the project will
create 200 jobs during the next 30 months and enable
the company to meet rapidly growing demand on the East
Coast. The jobs will pay $13 to $15 per hour plus benefits.
When completed, the Pulaski facility will be the 10th
— and largest — of the company’s North
American manufacturing plants.
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