Mountville Mills, the parent company of The Andersen Company, welcomed more than 200 guests to Mountville's 50th Anniversary celebration in LaGrange, Ga. Attendees included partners, customers, vendors and employees from across the United States, Belgium, UK, Sweden and Finland.

"We are a family owned, customer-focused business," said David Hart, president of Mountville Mills. "We've built a culture based on trust amongst our customers and with our employees. Everyone at Mountville emphasizes doing the right thing and what is best for the customer. Ultimately, this is what is best for Mountville."

The evening's festivities focused on the importance of people and relationships. This was reflected in a short video highlighting Mountville's growth and culture through the words of executives, employees, the Hart family and the family matriarch, Nancy Hart. Considerable time and praise was dedicated to Mountville's founder Emmett Hart and key milestones, beginning with Emmett and Nancy among the first seven employees. The company now employs more than 500 people at divisions in LaGrange, Ga; The Andersen Company in Dalton, Ga; Ronse, Belgium; Mississauga, Ontario; and Guangzhou, China.

Technology, innovation and acquisitions have all been integral to Mountville's growth, beginning with the acquisition of The Andersen Company in 1999; the launch of Logo Mats LLC in 2003 and expansion to China in 2004. In 2005, Mountville expanded its operations to Ronse to serve its European customers. And in 2008 Mountville acquired the North American business of Kleen-Tex Industries. Most recently, Mountville acquired Bungalow Flooring to enter the retail and catalog markets.

The day-long celebration began with tours of Mountville's LaGrange facilities to "meet the Mountville family of employees" and learn more about its diverse range of technology and products. Many were surprised at Mountville's investment in technology and expansion into retail consumer markets.