Greater demand for its products has enabled Lane Home Furnishings to expand and boost employment by about 10 percent.

On Thursday, the Mississippi Development Authority said Lane was is in the middle of adding 186 new employees at its Lee County plants. Eighty-five had been hired, the agency said.

In January, Lane President Greg Roy said the company had added 75 workers since the start of the year to meet increased demand.

The hirings represent a turnaround in the hiring trend for Lane, which, like other furniture companies, has seen its fortunes suffer during the economic downturn.

Lane is using the MDA’s Existing Manufacturers Job Rebate Program to help with the expansion at two of its Lee County facilities.

Lane has plants in Belden, Saltillo and Verona. With the added jobs, the company will employ 2,051 workers.

“I am pleased that we are able to expand our operations and create more jobs for the residents of Lee County,” Ray said. “I am very appreciative of the support we have received from state and local officials throughout this process, and I anticipate many more prosperous years of operation in Mississippi.”

Said Gray Swoope, MDA’s executive director, “I appreciate Lane Furniture officials for their decision to expand in Lee County and create so many new jobs for the residents of Northeast Mississippi. Lane Furniture has been an important part of Mississippi’s economy and furniture industry for years, and I commend the company for its continued investment and confidence in our state and work force.”

The move comes less than two years after Lane closed production at its Pontotoc plant, shifting production to Belden, and cut some 500 workers overall as part of parent company Furniture Brands International’s layoffs that totaled 1,400.

Furniture Brands also owns Broyhill, Drexel Heritage, Henredon, Hickory Chair, Laneventure, Maitland-Smith, Pearson and Thomasville.

Contact Dennis Seid at (662) 678-1578 or dennis.seid@djournal.com.