ARCHDALE — Lancaster, Inc., has announced that it will expand its operations with plans to invest more than $5 million to construct a new 60,000+ square foot facility on Archdale Road.
The manufacturer of handcrafted luxury upholstery will relocate from its current 18,000-square-foot facility in the adjacent Interstate Business Park.
The expansion will create additional manufacturing and office space to meet rising customer demand. The 36-year-old company has enjoyed multiple consecutive years of double-digit sales growth and has outgrown the current facility.
With no room at the present location for expansion, the company has identified a nearby greenfield site in Archdale on which to construct the new building. Plans have been submitted for review and grading is slated to begin before the end of October. Relocation to the new facility is slated for 2024.
Lancaster is committed to retaining its current workforce of 25 full-time employees in addition to creating at least 27 new jobs over a five-year period with an average annual salary of $46,000.
The expansion will generate opportunities for a range of positions in framing, sewing, upholstery, marketing, customer care and management. The benefits of the company’s growth also will extend to the many local suppliers with which Lancaster has developed long-lasting relationships.
The City of Archdale and Randolph County collectively offered up to $120,700 in local incentives over five years to encourage Lancaster to select Archdale as the home of the company’s expanded facility.
“I cannot tell you how excited we are for Lancaster’s impending expansion in Archdale,” Archdale Mayor Lewis Dorsett said. “A growing local company choosing to stay in our community and invest in Archdale is a huge win for everyone involved.
“We are grateful for our continued partnerships with the Randolph County Commissioners and the Economic Development Corporation, as we worked together to ensure this opportunity was not missed.”
“The EDC’s top priority is supporting established manufacturers across the county, and it’s been great to work with Bill Lancaster and his team on this expansion project” said Kevin Franklin, President of the Randolph County Economic Development Corporation. “We couldn’t be happier to see Lancaster’s commitment to continued growth and success in Archdale.”
“The support from The City of Archdale and Randolph County was a predominant factor in our decision to remain in this area,” Bill Lancaster said. “This project will enable us to better serve our customers and afford our entire team many added benefits that will come with the new and enhanced facility.”
“We are glad to share in recognizing the success and growth of Lancaster,” said Darrell Frye, Chairman of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners. “It is also one more opportunity to work with the leadership of Archdale to help make that expansion possible. This is evidence that Randolph County and the City of Archdale are not only a good place to start a business, but also a good place to grow a business. We congratulate the owners and management of Lancaster and the employees who have done their part to make growth a reality. Our interest in Lancaster does not end with the announcement but will remain with this company going forward.”
Founded in 1986, Lancaster has become a sought-after brand and a benchmark of excellence for handcrafted upholstery. More information about the company, its product lines and capabilities can be found at https://www.lancasterccu.com/.
The Randolph County Economic Development Corporation is a non-profit organization that works with industrial clients in the county. The EDC’s mission is to support a growing healthy economy so that local residents have diverse quality job opportunities through the attraction of new businesses to the area and the retention and expansion of existing business and industry. The EDC is a partner of the NC Carolina Core.