Landmark Ceramics’ “Forward Together” event was held Friday, March 22 in Mount Pleasant, Tennessee to celebrate the company’s $75 million investment in production capacity and logistics services. The investments will bring 80 new jobs and improve efficiency across both production and warehouse processes.
Since 2020, Murray County, where Landmark Ceramics is located, has brought in approximately 3,500 new job commitments and $4.8 billion in capital investment, according to Tennessee Commissioner Stuart McWhorter. “This community is experiencing record growth among other counties statewide,” he said.
As a part of that growth, Landmark Ceramics’ investments now total over $200 million, according to Filippo Sgarbi, CEO. In 2022, the firm began to increase its capacity and revamp its logistics and warehouse management systems as well as optimize all order preparation and handling processes. The goal, according to Sgarbi, is to “provide our customers with better quality services, better tools and better resources to successfully compete in the market.”
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee provided context within which companies like Landmark Ceramics are making an impact, “What happens in the further out counties matters to every single Tennessean,” he said. “We had 15 economically distressed counties in Tennessee in 2019. Today, five years later, we have eight.”
Furthermore, Lee points out that “Murray County is one of the most economically vibrant places in all of Tennessee, which happens to be a state that is either the first or second, depending on how you look at it, fastest growing economy of all 50 states in America. We live in a state that's the highest economy, the lowest debt per capita of all 50 states, the lowest tax rate per capita as a percentage of personal income for our citizens of all 50 states.”
Landmark Ceramics began production in 2013 and according to Landmark Ceramics’ President Federico Curioni, the reason for Gruppo Concord’s, the parent company, decision to build in Murray County was twofold. First, the proximity to the Tennessee ball clay mines, which is the largest deposit of ball clay in the country, according to McWhorter. Second, the state incentivizes companies like Landmark Ceramics to establish their companies in rural counties.
During the factory tour, guests were lead through the current production facility where they learned about the production process and got to see first-hand the 650,000 square-foot warehouse expansion. Currently, the firm utilizes a blend of human and computer-automated jobs. Once the expansion is complete, more of the processes will become automated. For example, the paperwork that accompanies each order is handled manually. This will switch to tablets where everything is digitized. The forklifts used to maneuver tile throughout the facility will eventually become fully automated by way of a 3D map of the warehouse to optimize product tracking efficiency. The project is slated to be complete by the end of 2024.
Prior to the presentations by executive leadership and state and local officials, guests were treated to refreshments and live music by Season 21 American Idol contestant and Nashville singer/songwriter Dylan Holmes in their indoor showroom. Some of Landmark Ceramics’ top vendors were present to learn more about new products, how the investments will impact their business and the firm’s plans going forward.
Ronnie Pollard, owner, Tile Liquidators, in the Huntsville, Alabama area, has toured a number of tile production facilities across the world, including Turkey and Brazil as well as other plants across Tennessee and feels the Landmark Ceramics facility is the most impressive “for cleanliness, efficiency and such a broad product line.”
After exploring the outdoor products, Pollard said, “We’re going to do displays today; we’re going to expand our outdoor selection. We’re going to display all the [Landmark Ceramics’] outdoor pavers.” Landmark Ceramics Outdoor showroom offers porcelain pavers with looks ranging from concrete to marble to travertine to wood.
