Poly-Wood Inc. recently broke ground on a 42,260 square foot addition that will link two of their existing buildings in Syracuse. The building will allow for extra manufacturing space and also includes plans for a showroom to display their 26 varied styles of outdoor furniture.

This is the company’s fifth expansion in 3 years. They now have 186 employees and the new addition will add an additional 38 jobs in 2014. The company has added an aluminum frame shop and is installing robotic aluminum welding equipment. They have expanded their upholstery operation and their CNC machining operations for cutting the plastic wood to size.

Lastly, they have added a state of the art design facility to create a new generation of furniture designs. “With this addition, Poly-Wood will be able to continue growing. Continual growth equates to more jobs in terms of employees, contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers,” stated Poly-Wood President Doug Rassi.

The company has come a long way since its humble beginnings in a Syracuse garage in 1990 when two friends, Doug Rassi and Mark Phillabaum started thinking about how to turn recycled post-consumer plastic into a marketable product. Through chemistry innovations, they created a plastic lumber that had the look of real wood but the strength and lasting durability of plastic. A line of outdoor Adirondack chairs was begun and today they manufacture a multitude of products.

According to KEDCo President George Robertson, “It has been a great experience these past 3 years working with the great people at Poly-Wood and assisting them in whatever ways we could to grow into 200,000 square feet of manufacturing space.”

Rassi was quick to note the competitive advantages of being in a pro-business state like Indiana when his competitors are in more expensive coastal states. He also noted the incredible work ethic of the local workforce and the support he has received from the town and community of Syracuse.