NEWPORT-Oakcrest Lumber, which exports most of its lumber to China and other places in the Far East, is on the verge of completing an expansion of its warehouse, perhaps by next week.

Wesley Weaver, part owner of Oakcrest Lumber, along with his sons Roland Weaver and Russell Weaver, said 17,000 square feet of space were added to an existing 25,000 square feet.

Oakcrest Lumber is located at 1489 West Highway 25/70.

Weaver said that the company has been in business about 20 years.

The company buys green hardwood, uses a kiln dry technique, then resells the lumber as kiln dry lumber, Weaver explained.

He also said the company sells to some domestic companies, as well.

Like many industries across the country, the economy in December 2008 forced Oakcrest Lumber to hold off on its expansion plans.

Weaver said then that the Newport facility had two drying kilns that had been operating since August 2008 with about 10 employees.

Oakcrest Lumber is located on a 30-acre site at the Old Ray Farm off Highway 25/70, west of the city.

Weaver said then, "Because of the economy, we're having to hold up on our flooring plant. We're just running the drying kilns until the housing market picks back up. We still intend to put a flooring line out there and, if we do, we'll add about 50 to 55 people."

Weaver said Thursday that the company will be "one step closer" to making hardwood flooring with the completion of the additional warehouse space, perhaps this week.

He cautioned, however, that a hardwood flooring plant, which will require even more space than the new warehouse, must wait for a positive turnaround in the housing industry to occur first.

Oakcrest, based in Buena Vista, Ga., is now 20 years old.

At the time of choosing to locate in Cocke County, Weaver said Newport, with its access to Interstate 40 and proximity to hardwood, is an ideal location for the company. Weaver said the company looked in the Appalachia area for two years before deciding on Cocke County.