News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Portobello America is working to set up a live cam for people to view its construction progress.
Vice President of Manufacturing and Outsourcing James Durbin said that the excavation process has already begun. He said that by June, progress should be visible from the interstate.
“Typically it would take 12 to 14 months,” Durbin said. “It’s a little longer, a couple of months longer than normal because of supply chain, but we should start production by March of next year.”
Durbin said the camera has just been installed and should be accessible soon. He said that once the building is complete, it will be about half a mile long. Durbin said that in the plant, they will be working on porcelain floor tiles.
“This factory produces and warehouses the product from raw materials which is sand and clay and feldspar,” Durbin said. “So just earth products. And we grind and make a slurry, we press it, we fire it, and then put it in a box and ship it out of the warehouse that will be in that facility. So it’s pretty much a start to finish process.”
Durbin said that they have already started the hiring process to fill some 140 positions for the first phase. He said that 95 percent of those hires will come from the surrounding area. He said his favorite thing about the company is that it’s forward-thinking.
“Their marketing is great, they’re very good at presenting the product to the consumers and to the distributors,” Durbin said. “I guess the main thing is that they’re forward-thinking. And staying ahead and trying to stay on-trend with the products. Because tile is much like fashion, it has to go with your decor and your furniture.”
Durbin said that once production has begun, the products will be sold all over the country.
