The City of Oxford, AL along with the Calhoun County Economic Development Council announced an additional $46.5 million investment by Kronospan. Tuesday night the Oxford City Council approved tax abatements for the non-educational portion on new equipment to enhance their production capabilities, building modifications, and a wastewater treatment plant. In addition, ten new jobs will be created. EDC Executive Director Don Hopper says, “I believe any time a company chooses to expand in Calhoun County, that is the greatest compliment we can receive. We are proud that Kronospan continues to grow here in Oxford.”
Oxford is the North American headquarters for Kronospan. Since the company broke ground here in 2005, their total investment is close to $1 billion with over 500 new jobs created. Kronospan’s site represents the largest private capital investment in the City of Oxford and Calhoun County. Oxford Mayor Alton Craft says,” Kronospan continues to invest in our city and our students. You don’t have to leave this area to get a great job. They understand how to grow their company and we always want to be part of that growth.”
Kronospan’s Oxford facility is the most vertically integrated wood products manufacturing site in North America, performing all necessary processes at the Oxford, AL site, from preparation of wood chips to production of the final laminate flooring and laminated panel products. Kronospan prides itself on a start to finish product. Their laminate flooring can be found worldwide, yet also locally at home improvement stores Lowe’s and Home Depot. “Kronospan’s growth since the start of our first plant in 2008 has been tremendous,” states John Connell, Kronospan’s Director of Human Resources. “We’ve successfully started four, highly automated plants at the Oxford site and we need intelligent, ambitious people to operate them. We think we can find those people right here in Calhoun County and the surrounding communities.”
Thank you to the Oxford City Spokeswoman, Lorie Denton for sharing the Kronospan information.
About Kronospan
Kronospan is a leading manufacturer of wood-based panel products and related value-added products. The Company is privately-owned, with more than 40 manufacturing and distribution sites throughout the world. Kronospan is the top manufacturer globally of MDF, laminate flooring, particleboard and UF resins for wood-based panels; and is the top manufacturer in Europe of OSB.
In 2008, Kronospan started up operations at its Oxford, AL, facility, where it now manufactures medium and high density fiberboard, particleboard, thermally fused laminate products, laminate flooring, and resins. Notwithstanding very difficult market conditions in the housing industry at times, Kronospan has maintained its level of employment at the Oxford facility since start-up.
For more information about Kronospan, visit www.kronospan-worldwide.com
and for more information about Kronospan’s products, services and business concepts, visit www.kronospan-express.com and www.krono-original.com
