Flooring company to locate in Pocahontas, employ 148

Tate, a raised access flooring company, announced Thursday (Aug. 22) it will build a manufacturing facility in Pocahontas that is expected to employ 148 workers over the next five years. Financial terms of the deal were not released.

“Tate is excited to expand our operations with a new production site in Pocahontas, Arkansas,” said Daniel Kennedy, global president of Cloud Solutions and Innovation. “This move strengthens our commitment to delivering innovative solutions and supports our long-term growth. We are grateful for the strong local support as we begin this new chapter.”

The new manufacturing facility will focus on fabricating steel frames for data centers. The company makes a variety of raised floor products for data centers, casinos, offices, airports and advanced manufacturing facilities.

“When Arkansas’ state, county, and local governments are all on the same page, we can beat out the competition and secure investments like Tate’s time and time again,” said Gov. Sarah Sanders. “Thank you to Tate for choosing Pocahontas. In my administration, we’ll keep working to cut taxes and slash red tape to make our state even more competitive.”

Arkansas competed with multiple states for this economic development project, marking the first facility of its kind in the state.

“Tate is a global leader in its industry, and we’re proud that they selected Pocahontas to grow their business,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. “With an experienced workforce, a favorable business environment, and strong infrastructure, rural communities like Pocahontas offer an ideal home for thriving companies. Congratulations to the community of Pocahontas on a great economic development win.”

The 420,000-square-foot facility is expected to be operational in during the first half of 2025.

“The city of Pocahontas is thrilled to welcome this new industry to our community,” said Keith Futrell, mayor of Pocahontas. “This development will greatly enhance the quality of life in our area.”

“The Northeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority is proud to welcome Tate to Randolph County,” said Graycen Bigger, executive director of the Northeast Arkansas Regional Intermodal Authority. “Throughout this entire process, a strong commitment to community, innovation, and sustainability has been clear. We look forward to a long and successful partnership. This project would not be possible without the continued support of the City of Pocahontas, the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Black River Technical College, and Clay County Electric.”

According to its website, Tate is a subsidiary of the Kingspan Group, which is headquartered in Ireland. The Kingspan Group is a building and manufacturing company with a portfolio of more than 150 manufacturing facilities and 15,000 employees globally.