DANVILLE, VA -- A Chinese floor manufacturer will invest $15 million to open a 40,000 square foot flooring factory in Danville, VA.

Zeyuan Flooring International Corp. is opening its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Danville, which is expected to create 100 jobs over three years. The area has long been a center of wood manufacturing, making it a draw for foreign-born firms to locate as well. IKEA's Swedwood plant is there, and its furniture panel and components suppliers are nearby. Chinese flooring manufacturers are feeling some pressure to produce in the U.S., especially after the imposition of countervailing duties on firms accused of dumping multi-layered flooring in the American market.

Zeyuan Flooring products include several styles of solid wood flooring, wood composite series, bamboo flooring and parquet flooring. Products will be exported to Canada, Europe and other countries, and sold throughout the U.S. The company also plans new product development will produce samples at the location.

During start-up phase, Zeyuan will share space with another Chinese firm operating in Danville, GOK International. GOK assembles residential furniture from components produced in China. It will assist Zeyuan Flooring with distribution during the start-up phase.

“We initially thought about locating our manufacturing plant in Los Angeles since everybody in China knows about this area," said Zeyuan Flooring CEO Sindy Cui. "Kevin Liao of GOK International and Danville officials made a great case based on location and resources that Danville was a better choice for us. We have been overwhelmed with the level of support and kindness that everybody has shown us.”

In China, Zeyuan Flooring has been a processor of solid wood flooring for 15 years. Zeyuan says it owns a modern wood drying kiln, with more than 1.5 million square meters capacity. It sources wood globally and focuses on a short production cycle and strict quality management.

The Danville Regional Industrial Facility Authority is providing a lot, and the Industrial Development Authority of Danville initially will build a 40,000 square-foot building for the project, with construction expected to take nine months. A grant of $350,000 from the Tobacco Region Opportunity Fund, which has helped the area business community transition to new sectors, amounted to $240,000.

GOK International will accept job inquiries on behalf of Zeyuan Flooring  (434-791-2100) during construction.