Advance will soon be home to the largest furniture manufacturing plant and distribution center in the United States.
And North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory is scheduled to appear at an invitation-only groundbreaking ceremony next Wednesday at Ashley Furniture Industries off Baltimore Road, the site of the former RJR facility.
Terry Bralley, president of the Davie County Economic Development Commission, said the approximate four-month delay in getting a construction permit because of wetlands was expected. The company has some 640 acres, and only a portion was covered by wetlands created by a beaver dam.
The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers had to issue a building permit because of the wetlands, which came late last month.
Top Ashley executives are also expected to be at the groundbreaking ceremony.
Ashley already has opened a distribution center in some of the old RJR buildings, hired more than 100 employees with hundreds more expected. It could become the largest furniture production facility in the world.
According to Furniture Today magazine, Ashley will hold an open house for the public at a later date …