James River Equipment has strengthened its commitment to contractors and equipment owners in western North Carolina with the opening of a new Mills River facility designed to provide expanded service capabilities, increased parts availability and room for future growth.

The John Deere Construction and Forestry dealer relocated from its previous facility off Smoky Park Highway in the Enka-Candler area to the new location in mid-July 2026. The move represents a significant investment in the company's future and its ability to better serve customers throughout the region, according to Dan Metcalf, general manager of James River Equipment's Mills River location.

James River Equipment has served the Asheville market since 2010 when it acquired the existing John Deere dealership that had operated in the area since 1974.

"We had outgrown the old facility," Metcalf told Construction Equipment Guide. "We did not own the facility or the property, so this gives us the opportunity to invest in a location where we can modify it, grow it and continue expanding as our customers' needs grow."

James River Equipment operates more than 50 locations throughout North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland, representing John Deere Construction and Forestry equipment along with other product lines.

Industry Experience Spans 100 Years

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The Mills River expansion comes as James River Equipment celebrates a century of serving customers in the equipment industry in 2026.

The company was founded in 1926 by I.R. Romer in Holly, Colo. What began as a small dealership grew into a multistate equipment organization built on customer relationships, product support and long-term partnerships.

Today, James River Equipment remains family owned and operated, with multiple generations of the Romer family involved in the business.

"The Romer family has learned a lot over the last 100 years," Metcalf said. "It started with Mark Romer's grandfather, I.R. Romer, and the company has continued to grow through each generation."

The company's next generation of leadership continues to learn all aspects of dealership operations. Metcalf noted that Mark Romer's children are involved in different areas of the business, including operations, vendor relationships and dealership management.

"They are learning all the different facets of the business. Mark is bringing them up through the ranks and preparing them to continue the legacy."

Facility Built for Growth

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The new Mills River facility sits on 16.5 acres and includes more than 36,000 sq. ft. of building space, including offices, customer areas, parts storage and service operations. The new building consists of approximately 22,000 sq. ft. of shop space; a 5,000-sq.-ft. parts warehouse inside the main building; and a 10,000-sq.-ft. auxiliary warehouse.

"We are able to stock more parts and create more first-fill opportunities for our customers across all the product lines we represent," Metcalf said. "We are at the point where customers come in and get what they need the same day 95 percent of the time."

The expanded service area measures 120 ft. wide by 180 ft. long and includes 10-ton cranes that allow technicians to lift larger components and service larger machines. The facility also provides 7 ft. more crane hook height.

"We can get bigger machines in, we can lift more and we can work on more equipment at one time," Metcalf said.

The dealership also added a 4,000-sq.-ft. service area connected to the auxiliary warehouse. Equipped with a 5-ton crane, the space is dedicated to undercarriage repairs, cylinder work and heavy welding.

Expanding Service Support

The larger facility has allowed James River Equipment to increase staffing and expand its ability to support customers.

"We have 45 employees out of this location and have more than quadrupled our business since we started covering the Asheville area."

The dealership added additional sales personnel, technicians, parts employees and administrative staff to support the increased demand.

James River Equipment currently has eight outside service technicians operating fully equipped service trucks with cranes, tooling and repair equipment to handle field repairs.

"If we run into something in the field that we cannot do there, we now have the capacity to bring it into this facility and complete the repair," Metcalf said.

The location also operates lube trucks that provide preventive maintenance services for customers.

"Our guys go out, perform the service, remove the waste oil and bring everything back so we can properly handle it," Metcalf said.

The dealership also works proactively with customers through customer service advocates who inspect machines, measure undercarriage wear and help identify potential maintenance needs before failures occur.

"We like to call it planned downtime," Metcalf said. "We want to catch things before there is a breakdown. We work with customers to help keep their machines running and productive."

Investing in Customers, Training

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Customers who have visited the new facility have responded positively to the investment, according to Metcalf.

"Our longtime customers are very impressed. They are congratulating us and saying how amazing the facility looks. They love the size of the shop and appreciate the investment we are making to support them."

Metcalf said the dealership views its relationship with customers as a long-term partnership.

"We look at this as a partnership. It is not one side or the other. We work together from the sale or rental of equipment to parts and repairs."

James River Equipment also continues to invest in technician training. The company has three in-house trainers dedicated to helping technicians stay current through John Deere programs, manufacturer education and hands-on instruction.

"We take training seriously," Metcalf said. "Our technicians are constantly learning the latest technology so we can repair machines correctly the first time."

The dealership also has expanded its product offerings with Wirtgen Group equipment, including Wirtgen milling machines, Vögele pavers and Hamm rollers, as well as paving, crushing and screening solutions.

"These products have been a great addition to our mainline John Deere construction equipment," Metcalf said.

With the new Mills River facility, James River Equipment is positioned to continue supporting contractors throughout western North Carolina for years to come.

"We want customers to know we are here to be their partner for the long haul," Metcalf said. "This investment shows our commitment to them and to this market."