PIKEVILLE, Tenn. — July 24, 2017 — Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Textile Corp. of America Inc. officials today announced the company will locate its headquarters and manufacturing facility in Pikeville.
Textile Corp. of America will invest approximately $27.1 million and create 1,000 new jobs in Bledsoe County, representing the largest private investment in Bledsoe County’s history.
“We want to welcome Textile Corp. of America to Tennessee and thank the company for locating its new operations here, creating 1,000 jobs in Pikeville and making this historic investment for not only Bledsoe County but Tennessee as a whole,” Haslam said. “Tennessee’s central location and established workforce make it a prime location for companies like Textile Corp. of America to set up manufacturing operations. By choosing Pikeville, Textile Corp. of America is helping us get one step closer to our goal of making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”
A leading textile manufacturer, Textile Corp. of America utilizes state-of-the-art plants and machinery to produce quality industrial and institutional textile products including apparel, bedding, healthcare, hospitality, and kitchen linens. Textile Corp. of America will locate its headquarters and manufacturing facility in the Bledsoe County Industrial Building in Pikeville. The existing building is 186,000 square feet, including offices, and sits on 16 acres.
The leadership team of Textile Corp. of America has both an unparalleled experience in manufacturing textiles around the world for the past four decades and an unwavering commitment to restoring America’s historic place as a global manufacturing center.
Last week, Gov. Haslam announced that Tennessee’s unemployment rate for June was the lowest in recorded state history. At 3.6 percent, June’s rate declined from the revised rate of 4.0 percent in May. Meanwhile, U.S. jobless rate increased to 4.4 percent in June from 4.3 percent in May. Bledsoe County’s current unemployment rate is 4.5 percent.
“Tennessee’s unemployment rate wouldn’t be where it is today if it weren’t for the many outstanding companies that choose to call Tennessee home,” Rolfe said. “While we are certainly proud of the decline in our unemployment rate, we know there are areas of our state where Tennesseans struggle to find jobs. Textile Corp. of America’s commitment to create 1,000 jobs in Bledsoe County, a Tier 4 Distressed county, will have an incredible impact on the community and surrounding area. We appreciate the company’s investment in our state and look forward to building a lasting partnership in the future.”
“I could not be happier that my home state of Tennessee is leading the renaissance of American manufacturing with the announcement of this facility today,” Chattanooga businessman and Textile Corp. of America owner Ed Cagle said. “We are proud to call Pikeville, Tennessee home to our new mill. Millions of dollars of investment and the creation of a thousand jobs will be transformative to this county and region.”
Local officials thanked Textile Corp. of America for its investment and new jobs in Bledsoe County.
“This is an exciting time for Bledsoe County,” Bledsoe County Mayor Gregg Ridley said. “As mayor of a Tier 4 economically distressed county, getting 1,000 local jobs is a pivotal moment in time for our citizens and an answer to many prayers. I welcome Textile Corp. of America to our community and trust they will experience many years of prosperity.”
“We are so excited about the recent news for our town and county. It has been a long time coming and we want to thank everyone for their hard work and not giving up on bringing jobs to our area,” Pikeville Mayor Philip Cagle said. “We look forward to working with our new friends and for a long successful journey. We are thrilled for the future of our town and the jobs that this company is bringing to Bledsoe County and the surrounding counties.”
“Congratulations to Textile Corp. of America on its decision to locate a new facility in Pikeville, Tennessee,” John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of economic development, said. “TVA and Sequachee Valley Electric Cooperative are privileged to partner with the State of Tennessee, the City of Pikeville and Bledsoe County to help companies create new jobs and prosperity in the community.”
Pikeville and Bledsoe County are represented by Sen. Paul Bailey (R, Sparta) and Rep. Ron Travis (R, Dayton) in the Tennessee General Assembly.
July 24, 2017
Source: Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
