BathCraft/Jacuzzi officials recently announced plans to expand production at their Valdosta, Ga., facility, adding 125 jobs, increasing the annual payroll by $4 million.

The Valdosta facility, which was acquired by Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath in 1998, will be the new home of Jacuzzi’s Luxury and Designer lines from California. The current 283,000 square feet of facility space will increase by 88,500 square feet to accommodate the growth.

As the expansion progresses, the facility will employ a total of about 730 people with the majority of the new jobs being filled locally.

“Because our facility in Valdosta is both productive and cost-effective, we can continue to expand,” said Johnnie Hambrick, vice president and general manager of BathCraft. “We look forward to continued growth.”

BathCraft/Jacuzzi will utilize the QuickStart training program, working in partnership with Valdosta Tech. Michelle Shaw was the project manager for GDEcD.

BathCraft was started in 1986 by South Georgia entrepreneurs Johnnie Hambrick and Lynwood Davis as a manufacturer of fiberglass bath tubs and related products targeted at the wholesale plumbing and manufactured housing industry.

In 1998, the company was acquired by the Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath family. BathCraft/Jacuzzi currently supports Jacuzzi Whirlpool Bath’s efforts as a regional production facility, producing over 1,000 units per day.

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