RICHMOND - Governor Timothy M. Kaine today announced that Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. will invest $3 million to open a cabinet manufacturing operation in Smyth County. The company, which will occupy the former Vaughan-Bassett facility, will create 100 new jobs for the region. Virginia successfully competed against Kentucky, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and West Virginia for the project.
“This significant project comes at an opportune time,” said Governor Kaine. “It is crucial to replace the loss of an older business in the region and Wellborn Cabinet fits the bill as an established, successful company. This is a dynamic opportunity to transfer skills from the trained workforce in Smyth County to new positions at Wellborn.”
Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. was established in 1961 and is headquartered in Ashland, Alabama. The company is a family-owned business that has been manufacturing kitchen and bath cabinetry for more than 45 years.
“We looked at opportunities in several surrounding states before deciding to commit our company to Smyth County, Virginia,” said Paul Wellborn, Chairman and President of Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. “The dedicated and experienced employee base we encountered in Smyth County, the benefit of being close to lumber sources and the support we received from the county and state throughout the process were the deciding factors in our decision. We are excited about this opportunity and look forward to a long relationship with Virginia and the people of Smyth County.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Smyth County and Virginia’s aCorridor to secure the project for Virginia. Governor Kaine approved $75,000 from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to assist Smyth County with the project. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission approved $75,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality also assisted in this project. The company is eligible to receive state benefits from the Virginia Enterprise Zone Program, administered by the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will support the project with training assistance through the Virginia Jobs Investment Program.
“We are excited to welcome Wellborn Cabinet to Smyth County, especially in light of the recent closing of the Vaughan-Bassett operation,” said Charlie C. Clark, Chairman, Smyth County Board of Supervisors. “This project will allow many of those displaced workers to continue their employment, and will provide new jobs for our citizens as the company grows. The investment of dollars into an older industrial facility is also a great benefit to our local tax base.”