Valdosta bathtub manufacturer announces expansion

ATLANTA, Sept. 13, 2007 – BathCraft/Jacuzzi officials announced today that they plan to expand production at their Valdosta facility, adding 125 jobs, increasing the annual payroll by $4 million.
'BathCraft/Jacuzzi is the kind of company that makes Georgia proud,' said Ken Stewart, commissioner of the Georgia Department of Economic Development. 'They demonstrate the promise of entrepreneurship with a success story that has lasted more than 20 years in a competitive manufacturing sector.'

The Valdosta facility, which was acquired by Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath in 1998, will be the new home of Jacuzzi's Luxury and Designer lines from California. The current 283,000 square feet of facility space will increase by 88,500 square feet to accommodate the growth. As the expansion progresses, the facility will employ a total of about 730 people with the majority of the new jobs being filled locally.

'Because our facility in Valdosta is both productive and cost-effective, we can continue to expand,' said Johnnie Hambrick, V.P./General Manager of BathCraft. 'We look forward to continued growth.'

BathCraft/Jacuzzi will utilize the QuickStart training program, working in partnership with Valdosta Tech. Michelle Shaw was the project manager for GDEcD.

'We are excited that BathCraft/Jacuzzi is continuing its tradition of success here in Valdosta,' said Brad Lofton, executive director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority. 'They have been a strong partner with us for more than 20 years.'

BathCraft was started in 1986 by South Georgia entrepreneurs Johnnie Hambrick and Lynwood Davis as a manufacturer of fiberglass bath tubs and related products targeted at the wholesale plumbing and manufactured housing industry. In 1998, the company was acquired by the Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath family. BathCraft/Jacuzzi currently supports Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath's efforts as a regional production facility, producing over 1,000 units per day.

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development.