Gloster Furniture, Inc. held a grand opening celebration of its new 670,000 square foot facility on Monday afternoon, March 31. Housed in the former O'Sullivan Industries building located at 1075 Fulp Industrial Road in the Halifax County Industrial Park the company, which came to the community in 1999, has consolidated its sales,

customer support and distribution operations all under one roof. Prior to acquiring the O'Sullivan facility Gloster had leased some 200.000 square feet of space in the old Daystrom Furniture building on Green's Folly Road and office space in the Climate Control Building in Riverdale. Gloster President Eric Parsons said the company, which makes high end outdoor furniture, has seen double digit growth since it incorporated in 1999 in South Boston and the current expansion has led to the creation of 30 + new jobs. "Gloster is in six different continents and over 50 countries," said Parsons. "North America is our fastest growing, most profitable market world wide. Our focus is on the high end furniture market. He added that the creation of upholstery manufacturing has enabled his company

to better meet the needs of their customers, as well as creating the additional jobs. Industrial Development Authority Executive Director Mike Eades expressed his gratitude to Gloster Furniture for staying and expanding in Halifax County, noting that the company had the chance to expand in other places. "It was the partnership of state and local entities that made this deal happen," Eades said, as he credited the staff of the Jobs Investment Program of the Virginia Department of Business Assistance for their help on the project. "Time and time again, when we call on the

Department of Business Assistance, they respond immediately and that's what it takes to close these deals," he said.

Also welcoming the business was William I. Fitzgerald, chairman of the Halifax County Board of Supervisors, who said it is "the vision of local business leaders and elected officials in Halifax County to revive the region's economy by encouraging a diverse employment base across many different business sectors. Gloster has been a good employer and corporate citizen in Halifax County for a number of years and we thank them for their decision to expand here and we pledge our full support to ensure their continued success." Gloster is a European based company with offices in Bristol, England and a factory in Indonesia and South Boston. Its principal customers are independent furniture retailers, designers and institutional buyers such as resorts and hotels. The company has won numerous international

awards for its designs, durability and quality and is especially known for its teak heritage.