Stuart to Get A New Employer In October

Stuart Forest Products will go into production in as little as four weeks. Sometime during the month of October the company will begin producing fiberboard at the location of the old International Paper/Nevamar plant.

From THE ENTERPRISE:

Jack Temple of Hickory, N.C., president and CEO, said the company will employ a minimum of 43 people at the beginning but expects to hire "a lot more in the near future."
"That's a small number compared to what may come along," Temple said, adding that if the plant does well in the "board business" it may add hydromulch-production and laminating operations. He said that while the "bottom fell out" of the particleboard industry in recent years, it has rebounded and "now prices are at an all-time world high."
Temple runs Tailored Foam Products, one of the largest foam wall insulation firms in the world, Burnette said. The company has provided insulation for several Wal-Mart and Food Lion stores, Temple said.

Temple and Buford King, vice president and general manager for the Stuart plant, discussed plans with EDA members. "Local people have been hospitable, other businesses have extended credit, and some potential employees have already come by the plant asking for jobs, Temple said. "We're starting to feel at home," he said. "We're pleased to be part of the town."

The plant, which began as Stuart Lumber Company in the 1920s, later became Masonite Corporation and later still International Paper, before being purchased by Nevamar Company. The plant closed in December of 2002 and sat vacant for over a year, until Nevamar donated the 148,000-square-foot building and 25 acres to Patrick County in January of 2004.

I have been very involved with testing my software at the plant for the past few days. I have been somewhat neglectful of this blog for that reason. The testing has been going very well, and I just this afternoon finished making some changes in my code that should test well tomorrow.
I have been so preoccupied that I completely forgot about the Virginia Bloggers Carnival for this week. Consequently, I haven't chosen any specific post to submit. Therefore, this one will have to do.
If this is your first visit here, please read some of my previous posts. If you are a returning visitor, please watch for new posts beginning on Monday or Tuesday, if all tests go well.