On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning; Andy Goodell, state assemblyman; Mark Geise, Chautauqua County deputy county executive for economic development; and Fred Johnson, Johnson Estates owner and vineyard manager; toured Bush Industries headquarters and manufacturing facility in Jamestown.

Mike Zolner, Bush Industries operations director, said the Jamestown manufacturing facility has one shift currently running producing make to stock commercial office and home furniture.

Make to stock is a traditional production strategy that is used by businesses to match production and inventory with consumer demand forecasts. The make to stock method requires an accurate forecast of demand in order to determine how much stock should be produced.

Michael Evans, Bush Industries chief marketing officer, said because of the make to stock method they are quickly able to ship furniture orders, which is an advantage Bush Industries has over larger competitors. He said that three-fourths of Bush’s business is through e-commerce.

From left, Mark Geise; U.S. Rep. Tom Reed; and Mike Zolner, Bush Industries operations director, viewing one of Bush Industries wood furniture pieces while touring the Jamestown plant Tuesday. P-J photo by Dennis Phillip

“We’re having a heck of a year so far. We’re up 25 percent so far,” Evans said.

About a month ago, Bush Industries increased their production budget, Evans said. He said they are aggressively investing in new product offerings. Bush has two furniture production lines, Bush Furniture, which produces home and small office furniture, and BBF (Bush Business Furniture), which provides commercial-grade furniture.

Evans said Bush has two manufacturing locations, the Jamestown headquarters and China.

He said 55 percent of the furniture Bush Industries produces is made in Jamestown.

There are 345 U.S. employees, with 267 working in Jamestown, Evans said. He said they also have two distribution centers, with 75 employees in their Erie, Pa., location and eight in the company’s Reno, Nev., facility.

Evans said since the purchase of Bush Industries by local company executives in 2014, they have increased the number of employees by 40.

Following the tour of the Jamestown production plant, Reed talked about the tax reform and U.S. trade polices with company administrators. He is seeing manufacturers increasing economic activity as he tours businesses in New York’s 23rd Congressional district. He said people are starting to make financial decisions based on the new tax reform. He added he hasn’t seen such positive U.S. economic numbers since he first joined Congress in 2010.

As a member of the House Ways and Means Committee, Reed said he is working on trade polices and tax reform constantly. He said the new tariffs on goods from China is a generational fight that will change the scope of trade with foreign companies for decades to come. He added that the negotiations with China might be tough at first, but there are many long-term positives by restructuring trade policy with China. He said it is important to restructure the North American Free Trade Agreement with Canada and Mexico as well.