John Brothers Holdings to reopen Mifflinburg plant, add 78 jobs

Union County is set to gain 78 new jobs as John Brothers Holdings reopens a shuttered 300,000-square-foot plant in Mifflinburg, using $450,000 in state support to revive a facility that sat idle after its December 2025 closure.

The Commonwealth is backing the project with a package that includes a $250,000 Pennsylvania First grant and a $200,000 WEDnetPA grant to train workers. State reporting says the company will retain 465 existing positions and create the new jobs over the next three years, a sign that the reopening is meant to do more than simply restart a dormant building at 100 Industrial Park Road.

John Brothers Holdings acquired the site and equipment on March 6, 2026, and created a new subsidiary, John Brothers Wood Products, to run the operation. The company said it is upgrading the plant’s electrical systems, ventilation and production floor layout while also modernizing employee common areas, including the break room, restrooms and employee entrance.

The new operation will produce wood products and components, including roof and floor trusses and finish millwork. That work is designed to fit into John Brothers’ broader local supply chain and replace products the company had been buying from outside sources.

The move comes after the neighboring cabinetry business shut down and laid off 175 employees. Company president and chief executive Paul D. John said the idea grew out of that closure, as John Brothers looked for a way to put the plant and the community back to work. He called it a “generational investment” and said the company was excited to be hiring workers back.

Governor Josh Shapiro said the project is a major win for Pennsylvania’s manufacturing sector and for Union County. Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger said the announcement shows the state is making strategic investments that deliver results for communities and the workforce.

The plant had long history before its shutdown. It operated for many years as Yorktowne Cabinetry before transitioning under the Cabinetworks Group brand, and before closing it had served as a dimension mill producing lumber components, millwork and cabinet parts.

The reopening also adds to John Brothers’ footprint in Mifflinburg, where Ritz-Craft has been headquartered since 1968. Ritz-Craft is the borough’s largest employer, with about 700 workers across its operating divisions in Pennsylvania, Michigan and New York. The company’s portfolio includes Legacy Crafted Cabinets, Legacy Building Products, Ritz-Craft Commercial, Ritz-Trans, Rusty Rail Brewing Company and Designer Homes.

State Sen. Gene Yaw said the acquisition could bring back nearly 200 jobs and help restore continuity for skilled workers, suppliers and the region’s manufacturing base.