Upholstery producer Best Home Furnishings has broken ground on a 100,000-square-foot expansion of its factory here, boosting the size of its facilities to 1.2 million square feet.

　　The $3.1 million expansion project is expected to be completed in August 2016.

　　“The new plant will enable Best to streamline and realign manufacturing processes for even greater efficiencies,” said Brian Lange, president. “Our last expansion came in 2000, and since then we have doubled our sales. Best can only grow so much within our walls, and the time has come to expand to facilitate further growth.”

　　The company currently has about 1,000 employees at factories in Ferdinand, Jasper, Cannelton and Paoli, Ind., and Lange said Best opted to expand in its hometown because “the area continues to supply us with very skilled individuals who possess a strong worth ethic. Ferdinand is where we want to be. It’s our home.”

　　Representatives from the town of Ferdinand were on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony, as were several Best dealers from Ohio, who were on a tour of the company’s facilities.

　　“Founded with humble roots, Best Home Furnishings is a true American dream success story,” said Ferdinand Town Council President Ken Sicard. “To be one of the largest furniture manufacturers in the country and continue to invest in their Ferdinand home, we couldn’t be prouder.”

 　　Ranked 15th among Furniture/Today’s Key Sources for the U.S. Furniture Market, Best had estimated sales of $250.7 million in 2014.