Wheeler’s Inc., a wholesale building materials and lumber distribution company, plans to purchase 10.2 acres at the Centre South Riverport/Industrial Park for construction of a 50,000-square-foot plant expected to employ 35 to 40 people within the next five years.
The company expects an additional 75 to 80 jobs will be created in truss manufacturing if regional demand grows as anticipated.
Wheeler’s initial investment, including land cost, is $2.5 million, according to company President James T.Manis and company CEO Mark W.Manis.
A family-owned business founded in 1949 in Rome, GA,Wheeler’s has 18 sites in Georgia, North Carolina and Alabama. The Centre South Riverport facility will be the first in Tennessee.
The initial 20-25 jobs will offer average salaries between $30,000 and $75,000 annually, the Manises said.
"Chattanooga is a great town with outstanding growth prospects. Being in Chattanooga is a logical extension of our operations in Atlanta and northwest Georgia, but, more important, it fits our long-term company strategy of being in all major markets in the Southeast," said Mark Manis.
"Centre South is a transportation-intensive industrial park, so it is an ideal fit for Wheeler’s, whose distribution of materials depends heavily upon rail," said Hamilton County Mayor Claude Ramsey. "The company is also currently investigating the possible use of barges to transport materials from vendors via the public port located in the park."
"Wheeler’s is precisely the kind of business we want to attract to Chattanooga," said Chattanooga Mayor Ron Littlefield. "The company, which has been a finalist for Georgia’s Family Business of the Year, sets an example of contributions to the community and innovative business practices."
Jobs created by the new operation include engineers, managers, estimators, forklift and materials handlers, truck drivers and clerical assistants.
Wheeler’s offers a complete line of building materials to the professional contractor. In addition,Wheeler’s manufactures its own windows, doors, trusses and wall panels and provides an extensive array of installation services for the homebuilder.
