JAMESTOWN, N.Y. - Bestar-Bush, the company formerly known as Bush Industries, is scrambling to fill a big increase in orders. The company will add a second shift of 55 employees to help it catch up.

 

Leading ready-to-assemble furniture maker Bush was acquired by Canadian RTA furniture maker Bestar back in January. With operations in New York, Pennsylvania, California, Quebec, and China, the merged company employs around 650 people.

 

Bestar-Bush was forced to shut down its operations soon after the COVID pandemic took hold. It reopened in May and soon saw an uptick in orders.

 

"We've got a lot of inventory and a tremendous number of new products coming, so it's all kind of clicking for us right now," Bestar-Bush CEO Michael Evans, told Buffalo News. "We're trying to keep up, frankly."

 

Evans said the company has already hired 30 people since May and sales are up 40 percent this year. Evans is a 2020 Wood Industry Market Leader.

 

Evans credits the pandemic as a reason for growth, as he believes it has caused more people to buy home office furniture - Bestar-Bush's specialty.

 

Founded in 1959 and headquartered in Jamestown, New York, Bush has manufacturing operations in New York, Pennsylvania, California and China. The company designs, produces and distributes home and commercial office, entertainment, bedroom, storage, seating, occasional and entryway furniture, with brands including Bush Furniture, BBF (Bush Business Furniture), Office by Kathy Ireland, and Kathy Ireland Home by Bush Furniture. The company was purchased by New York-based private equity firm Lorraine Capital in 2018.

Founded in 1948, Bestar has manufacturing facilities in Lac-Mégantic and Sherbrooke, Quebec, and is a designer, manufacturer, distributor and online seller of commercial office, home office, storage, bedroom, closet and home organization, tables and garage storage furniture across North America.