Emerson on Friday (July 29) opened its $35 million facility in Ash Flat. The company retrofitted the former 277,000-square-foot Cherokee Frame manufacturing plant for its professional tool business, with a primary focus on manufacturing Greenlee specialty tools and related products for electrical tradesmen throughout North America.
Emerson currently has more than 150 employees working at the facility and plans to grow operations, with the goal of creating up to 285 jobs in total over the next four years.
“Today is the culmination of the strong partnerships we’ve built over the past two years with local, state and federal organizations, and we deeply appreciate their support,” said Craig Sumner, president of Emerson’s professional tools business. “We look forward to building strong ties here in the Ash Flat community and taking a leadership role in developing the next generation of skilled manufacturing workers in Arkansas.”
The available workforce in the area and its proximity to the company’s Memphis distribution center were two of the main reasons the company chose to locate at the Ash Flat site in 2020.
“Emerson has honored Arkansas by returning to the state and choosing Ash Flat for the expansion and new facility,” said Gov. Asa Hutchinson. “With our state’s dedicated workforce and low costs of doing business, Emerson is proof that Arkansas has the tools in place to take new and expanding companies to their next stages 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 powerhouse of technology and software solutions.
“Arkansas continues to be one of the most financially sound states in the nation,” said Arkansas Secretary of Commerce Mike Preston. “Our diverse economy and business-friendly policies have kept our state open for business, and we continue to see the results of these decisions as Emerson and similar companies have been able to invest in our state and create more jobs for Hard-working Arkansas.”
