Dozens of new jobs are coming to Randolph County.

Hughes Furniture has made its home in Randleman and Asheboro since 1989.

"Hughes Furniture Industries is the fifth largest employer in Randolph County,” said County Manager Hal Johnson. "It has approximately 800 employees."

That number will soon grow.

Johnson says the company is expanding its Randolph County roots in the West Randleman Business Park.

"They're going to be purchasing 35 acres in that industrial park, allowing them to create a major expansion of their business,” Johnson said.

He says that while the company is still finalizing its plans for a timetable on when to start construction, he can confirm it’s building a 300,000 square foot distribution center at the business park.

"Fifty jobs will be created, we think, as a result of the expansion,” Johnson said.

The company makes a variety of furniture products.

"They make a lot of hotel furniture and specialty furniture,” Johnson said.

Hughes' purchase marks the final acreage available at the business park.

It’s momentum Johnson says he hopes will continue to build throughout the county.

"Not only the megasite in the Liberty area, we have a lot of hopes for that in the future, but also our other industry in Randolph County,” he said. “We're beginning to see stirrings of improvement from the recession years we've all gone through, and we're excited about the prospects.”

County commissioners will hold a public hearing on the expansion at their meeting on June 6.

(Source: twcnews.com  Author: Meg Smith)