LITTLE ROCK — Armstrong to add 3rd shift in Warren
Citing an increase in customer demand, Armstrong Floor Products plans to add a third shift and hire 108 employees at its Warren plant, a company spokesman said Friday.
“Like other businesses, [Armstrong] adjusted our manufacturing footprint to coincide with the downturn in the economy and significant drop in demand over the last five years,” Jennifer Johnson, an Armstrong spokesman, said in an email. “Now we’re seeing some demand return, and as a result, we’re adding a third shift in Warren to meet our customers’ needs.”
Armstrong plans to add the third shift beginning in May, Johnson said.
Armstrong now has about 260 workers at the Warren plant, where Armstrong makes solid hardwood flooring. Armstrong bought the facility about 14 years ago, Johnson said.
Those interested in applying for a job at the plant can do so at armstrong.com, Johnson said.
- David Smith
Comcast introduces mobile safety app
Comcast Corp. said Friday that it has introduced a new safety application for mobile devices including smart phones and tablet computers in some of its markets, including Little Rock.
The app, called Constant Guard Mobile, is designed to protect consumers from phishing attempts, identity theft and attempts to redirect users to fraudulent websites. It is available to Xfinity Internet customers at no additional charge.
The company said the app provides customers with a secure way to log in to their banking, shopping, e-mail and social networking accounts. It is designed to warn customers if a website is considered risky or unsafe and could potentially be a source of malware.
The app currently can be downloaded to iOS devices from the Apple iTunes store. An Android version is to be launched in the near future, the company said.
- Steve Painter
State index sees 12 stocks advance
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, gained 1.40 to 263.89 Friday.
Twelve stocks advanced, three declined and one was unchanged.
USA Truck had the biggest gain, climbing 2.7 percent in light trading.
America’s Car-Mart rose 2.3 percent in below-average trading.
J.B. Hunt Transport hit a 52-week high of $69.42 before closing up 79 cents at $69.07.
For the week, nine stocks rose and seven fell.
Arkansas Best jumped 8.1 percent for the week.
Acxiom fell 3 percent for the week.
Volume for the index of Friday was 24.8 million shares, compared with average daily volume of 24 million shares.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business, Pages 27 on 02/09/2013