Asheville Pottery Expansion Brings Jobs, $2.5 Million Investment

East Fork Pottery said on December 6 that it will invest $2.5 million to expand production operations in Asheville, a move the company tied to rising national demand for its ceramic dinnerware. The expansion is expected to double the companys production capacity, sustain more than 125 existing local jobs, and add roughly 40 new engineering and skilled manufacturing positions over the next three years.

The company identified the new roles as living wage opportunities, citing an average wage around $26 per hour. At that rate a full time position equates to about $54,000 a year. If the 40 new positions are filled at that wage the additional annual payroll would be roughly $2.16 million. That level of earnings would contribute to household income in Buncombe County and create spillover spending at local businesses.

East Fork is a Certified B Corp known locally for community donations and fair chance hiring programs, practices that city and county officials said align with broader workforce inclusion and recovery goals. Local economic development partners noted the expansion will strengthen the creative manufacturing sector in western North Carolina and help diversify the region's industrial base. Leaders described the investment as supporting regional recovery efforts following several years of uneven economic growth.

Beyond immediate job creation and payroll effects, the expansion has implications for supply chains and skills training in the region. Engineering and skilled manufacturing roles typically require targeted training and apprenticeship pipelines, which could prompt partnerships between East Fork, community colleges, and workforce development programs. The companys emphasis on living wage jobs may also put upward pressure on wage norms in related crafts and manufacturing occupations.

For Buncombe County taxpayers the project promises modest long term benefits through payroll taxes and increased consumer spending, while reinforcing Asheville's reputation as a center for high quality craft production. As the company scales to meet national demand the expansion will be a live test of how well local labor markets and training systems can supply higher skilled manufacturing positions.