Jeld-Wen Windows and Doors hiring dozens for Bend facility

Jeld-Wen Bend Windows and Doors is expanding its factory workforce in Bend due to the rising demand from newly built houses popping up all over the city.

Jeld-Wen officials said Wednesday they have seen an increase in the need for their products, so they are looking to hire another shift of workers to keep up with demand.

Jeld-Wen is hoping to add around 30 to 75 new employees to its staff as soon as possible.

According to Ben Baker with Jeld-Wen, it’s due to the demand for new housing in Bend, along with a shift of production from another plant to the Bend location.Baker said he hopes that Jeld-Wen will be able to become a staple in this community once again.

“Obviously, during the downturn in the economy hit housing probably the hardest, and that’s never good when you are going down from that,” Baker said. “But we’re in the upswing again. And that’s why we are adding a second shift that we haven’t had since 2010.”

Baker said they are looking to hire people that have a background in manufacturing, but they also have entry-level positions available as well.

Baker hopes that in this booming housing market, these jobs will be hare to stay.

Realtor Andrew Ellis with High Desert Reality said this trend of growth is not stopping any time soon.

“With our lower inventory, probably the only real sustainable way that we are going to change that is just building a little bit more,” Ellis said. “I think all of us across the board want it to be done intelligently — not necessarily slowly, but just kind of a constant push on that.”

Ellis said that having jobs available for people in Bend will only help as the city grows.

He also said new housing is always a good thing for the economy, because it points to a healthy and sustained economy.

Karla Castillo , East Cascades workforce analyst with the Oregon Employment Department, talked about what she is seeing out there in the general economy.

Castillo said the job market is healthy, but in the last month, the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percent.

Castillo also said it’s always great to add more jobs, as many people in Bend and Central Oregon struggle with making enough money to afford housing.

“The housing market is so expensive, and it’s also very saturated,” she said. “So if you can’t have a job that will allow you to, you know, pay a really high rent or a really high mortgage, it could be really challenging.”

Castillo added that manufacturing jobs, such as the ones being offered at Jeld-Wen, are great and provide people with a learned skill.

She said that after the hiring process at Jeld-Wen, she hopes it will reflect positively in the employment rates.