Johnson Creek Enterprises, a developer and manufacturer of liquids used in electronic cigarettes plans to move to a 24,000 square foot facility at 455 E. Industrial in Hartland.
The company is currently based in 2,400 square feet of commercial space at 320 N. Watertown St., Johnson Creek.
Johnson Creek, the maker of Johnson Creek Original Smoke Juice and Red Oak Smoke Juice has 19 full time employees – it is likely to add another 10 to 15 employees by the beginning of the third quarter of this year, said Christian Berkey, founder and chief executive officer.
“This is something we’ve been looking to do for quite some time,” he said. “We’re experiencing substantial growth. So far, we’re seeing 40 percent growth (in the first quarter of this year) over the fourth quarter of 2010.”
The company also had 40 percent growth in 2010 over its 2009 sales.
The new facility in Hartland will include a lab, mixing room and research and development areas. The company expects to complete its move by June.
“We’ll start (moving certain employees) in a few weeks,” Berkey said. “All of our office and administrative staff will go over first. (The rest) will be phased over the next several months.”
Johnson Creek is growing so quickly because of the significant increase in the e-cigarette business. The company is one of the best-recognized names in the e-cigarette industry, Berkey said.
“What is driving our growth is our increased brand recognition,” he said. “Our brand is recognized worldwide. We’ve had a lot of growth in Asia – South Korea is huge for us and we’ve had dramatic growth in our Korean sales.”
