Area Development
Wood countertop and cutting board manufacturer Scotsman Manufacturing Company opened a production complex in Laurel, Mississippi. The project is expected to create 85 jobs.

The new company, housed in a revitalized and once-shuttered industrial facility, will be committed to American-made goods which it will wholesale to retailers nationwide.

“We appreciate the support of the EDA of Jones County, the MDA and the state of Mississippi as we commit to new jobs through the manufacturing of quality wood products here in Laurel. If we are going to be serious about revitalizing small towns, then we have to be serious about creating manufacturing in those small towns,” said Jim Rasberry, Chairman of Scotsman Manufacturing Company.

The Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) is providing assistance for building improvements. Scotsman Manufacturing Company also has been certified for the Advantage Jobs Rebate Program, which is designated for eligible businesses that create new jobs exceeding the average annual wage of the state or county in which the company locates or expands. Mississippi Power is aiding with energy efficiency upgrades to the facility.

“Manufacturing, a top economic driver for Mississippi, employs tens of thousands of workers in our state. When homegrown companies stay in Mississippi to plant roots and begin creating jobs in our communities, it truly does make a statement to other companies that we are a great place to do business. Scotsman Manufacturing will be an asset to Laurel and Jones County for many years to come, and MDA is proud to support this and future endeavors as the company brings good jobs to the area’s residents,” noted MDA Interim Executive Director Laura Hipp.

Scotsman Manufacturing Company was formed by Erin and Ben Napier, hosts of HGTV’s hit series Home Town and co-owners of Laurel Mercantile Company, along with multiple partners.

“The work that the Napiers, their team and countless others have done in Laurel has helped rejuvenate, rebuild and revitalize a beautiful Mississippi city. Scotsman Manufacturing’s impact on southeast Mississippi, from direct and indirect jobs, additional economic growth and local pride, will be immeasurable,” Mississippi Power Vice President of External Affairs Billy Thornton noted.

“The Napiers and their partners the Rasberrys and the Nowells have consistently chosen to invest back into our community. We are proud they have once again chosen to expand locally by basing their latest endeavor, Scotsman Manufacturing Company, here in Laurel. In true Napier fashion, they have chosen a distressed warehouse to revitalize and start this new venture. Jones County has certainly seen a positive impact from each project they claim, and we are confident this one will follow suit,” said Jones County Economic Development Authority President Ross Tucker.