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KIRKSVILLE, MO -- Kirksville officially welcomes a new business to the town.

The Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday morning for Hartzell Hardwoods.

The company, which got its start in Ohio, recently bought Reliant Hardwoods in Kirksville.

Hartzell decided to come to Kirksville since the state of Missouri is a primary grower of walnut trees, which is one of the main woods the business uses.

It's also been the support of the Kirksville community that helped the company make the decision to move to the Heartland.

"The reception we've received has been overwhelming. It has been phenomenal of the help we've received from businesses. It has been great. We plan to be a big part of the Kirksville community. We think it has been a great move. I think it will be a win-win situation for the company, the community, and the state in general," said Hartzell Hardwoods President John Owsiany.

Hartzell is planning to expand over the next 10 months by putting in new equipment, expanding it facilities and increasing its workforce from 10 to 25, which will help out the Kirksville economy.