JERZEES Activewear, Alexander City, Ala., a division of Russell Corp., has announced plans to spend
approximately $21 million on expansions and renovations of its textile operations in Wetumpka,
Sylacauga and Alexander City, Ala.The two-year plan to expand our Coosa River textile operations in
Wetumpka calls for us to spend $11 million in that facility alone, said Dean Riggs, vice president
of operations.By expanding our capacity to produce material at Coosa River, we are making the
operation more cost-effective and efficient. That is a crucial factor in JERZEES efforts to become
more aggressive in the marketplace and to grow our business. We have to ensure that our
manufacturing costs are in line with the prices we can charge for our products. The only way to
create any stability for our business and for our employees is to be the low-cost producer so we
can be competitive in our pricing and still make a profit as a business.Beginning last year, with
the conversion of our cutting and sewing operation in Sylacauga to a world-class textile facility,
we have invested $7 million in that plant with plans to spend approximately $1 million more, Riggs
said.We are now producing all of the white T-shirt material we use at Sylacauga and doing it in a
very cost-effective manner.In addition to the Coosa River and Sylacauga plants, JERZEES will spend
an additional $2.5 million to modernize knitting, dyeing, finishing and cutting equipment at its
Alexander City operations.
June 2000
