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Columbia Flooring has announced it plans to invest $13.5 million in an expansion of its Danville, Va., engineered hardwood flooring plant that will ultimately double the factory's production capability. The company will also build a national distribution center for its engineered hardwood and laminate products there.

Construction commenced in August, with the new line slated to start up production in the first quarter of 2005. The plant's expansion will create an additional manufacturing and prefinishing line that initially will run one shift per day. Two more shifts are expected to be added within two years, ultimately creating nearly 200 new jobs.