Emerson opened the $35 million facility in Ash Flat on Friday (July 29). The company has repurposed the former 277,000-square-foot Cherokee frame manufacturing plant into a professional equipment business primarily focused on manufacturing Greenlee specialty tools and related products for electrical tradespeople in North America.
Emerson currently has more than 150 employees working at the facility and plans to expand its operations to create up to 285 total jobs at the site over the next four years.
“Today is the culmination of the strong partnerships we’ve built with local, state and federal organizations over the past two years, and we deeply appreciate their support,” said Craig Summers, president of Emerson’s Professional Tools business. “We look forward to building strong relationships here in the Ash Flat community and playing a leadership role in developing a skilled manufacturing workforce in Arkansas.”
The local workforce and proximity to the company’s Memphis distribution center were two of the main reasons the company chose to locate at the 2020 Ash Flats site.
“Emerson honored Arkansas by returning to the state and expanding Ash Flats and choosing a new facility,” said Governor Asa Hutchinson. “With our region’s dedicated workforce and low costs of doing business, it’s proof that Emerson Arkansas has the tools to take new and expanding companies to the next phase of growth.”
Emerson was founded in St. Louis in 1890 as a manufacturer of electric motors and fans. Over the past century, the company has grown from a regional manufacturer to a global technology and software solutions powerhouse.
“Arkansas continues to be one of the most financially sound states in the nation,” said Arkansas Commerce Secretary Mike Preston. “Our diverse economy and business-friendly policies have made our state open for business, and we continue to see the results of those decisions as Emerson and similar companies are able to invest in our state and create more jobs for hard-working Arkansans.”
