Officials from Ohio-based Kellex Seating, manufacturer of commercial upholstered seating, announce the company is expanding into Mississippi by locating operations in the former Tupelo Manufacturing facility in Tupelo. The project represents a $600,000 corporate investment and will create 75 jobs.
“I appreciate the Kellex team for selecting Tupelo as their location to pursue new growth and investment opportunities,” Gov. Phil Bryant said. “Mississippi’s furniture manufacturing sector has been extremely prosperous in recent years, and I know Kellex will find the competitive advantages needed for success in today’s demanding economy in north Mississippi.”
“We chose Tupelo as the site of our newest manufacturing facility because we know that the local workforce is strong and experienced,” said Kellex COO Doug Fawcett. “We want to give furniture artisans in this area the opportunity to be part of a thriving organization where their efforts are appreciated by colleagues and customers alike. We also want to contribute to the area’s economy by creating jobs and supporting local business partners.”
“The past several months have seen unprecedented growth in demand for furnishings, particularly in the hotel and timeshare segments,” said Kellex President Chris Rice. “Our new Tupelo facility ensures that we will be able to meet all of our existing and future commitments on time. Our planned expansions will enable us completely satisfy our present customers, and enable further expansion in the future. Our goals of improving lead times and increasing capacity have driven our decision to expand, once again.”
Fawcett also said Tupelo also offers logistical advantages, such as facilitating access to West Coast markets.
“The combination of our North Carolina and Mississippi plants is ideal from the customer’s perspective,” he said. “We will have the capabilities and resources to broaden our product offering and to fulfill orders from across the nation with outstanding efficiency.”
The Mississippi Development Authority provided assistance in support of the project for infrastructure improvements. The city of Tupelo assisted with the project, as well.
“MDA is glad to welcome Kellex Seating as the newest business partner to the state of Mississippi and looks forward to watching the company thrive in Lee County,” said MDA Executive Director Brent Christensen. “We thank our economic development partners at the city of Tupelo and the Community Development Foundation for their hard work in bringing this great company to Mississippi.”
Founded in 1994, Kellex Seating is one of America’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of commercial upholstered furniture for the hospitality and senior living industries, specializing in sofas, sleepers and loveseats, lounge chairs, benches and settees, bariatric seating, occasional seating, motion seating, and more. For more information, visit www.kellex.com.