Walmart’s SelectUSA Project Inspires Georgia, South Carolina and Pennsylvania Manufacturers To Expand Production
10/31/2013
Inspired by the retailer’s SelectUSA project, Elan-Polo in Hazelhurst, Georgia, Louis Hornick & Company in Allendale County, South Carolina, and EveryWare Global, Inc. in Monaca, Pennsylvania, will produce footwear, curtains and glassware, respectively.
Elan-Polo, Inc., a global footwear and 35-year Walmart supplier, will start production of injection-molded footwear in March 2014 at a factory in Hazelhurst, Ga., as part of a joint venture with McPherson Manufacturing. Once at full capacity, this new facility will create 250 jobs and produce 20,000 pairs of shoes per day. Previously, the company manufactured the shoes overseas.
"This announcement of 250 new jobs and a new shoe manufacturing facility in Georgia was made possible by Walmart's support, which included guidance in contacting various states and help developing the project with necessary participants–government, utilities, banks, and equipment suppliers. We will see genuine economic value added through shorter lead times, more efficient purchasing and savings on shipping and oversight expenses,” said Joe Russell, CEO of Elan-Polo, Inc.
EveryWare Global, Inc., which manufactures bakeware, beverageware, tabletop and household glassware, will produce Mainstays Canning Jars for Walmart in its Monaca, Pa., facility. The company is investing $1.8 million to expand factory capacity and establish a new product line made in the U.S. The agreement will create new manufacturing jobs in the Monaca facility. Founded in 1905, Anchor Hocking, an EveryWare Global brand, has been supplying products to Walmart for over 25 years.
"We are constantly evaluating the best uses of our capital and that includes the opportunity to partner with our largest customer to invest in our existing operations and produce quality glass solutions. In working with Walmart, we are now able to make a strategic investment that will enable us to transition the canning category to a complete 'Made in the USA' product line. Our strong 25 year foundation with Walmart clearly supported this decision to invest, expand U.S. manufacturing capabilities and create more jobs, said John Sheppard, CEO EveryWare Global.
Louis Hornick & Company, a leading manufacturer and importer of window coverings and home textiles, will invest $2.5 million to establish a new manufacturing facility in Allendale County, South Carolina. The investment is expected to create 125 new jobs over the next three years. The company has been supplying Walmart for 40 years.
"Every aspect of this venture is geared toward offering the most options to our retail partners and manufacturing the highest quality products the American consumer demands and deserves. We aren't just building a facility – we are moving to South Carolina. The fact that three Manhattan residents are doing so is testament to our dedication, but, equally, reflects on the wonderful people in the great state of South Carolina. We appreciate the exceptional support we've received from state and local officials,” Louis "Tripp" Hornick III of Louis Hornick.
"Today's announcement is a great example of the progress that's being made, and it highlights opportunities that exist for manufacturers to invest in the USA by re-shoring or expanding their manufacturing in America," Walmart U.S. President and CEO Bill Simon. "Companies, government officials and industry leaders are working together to increase manufacturing, and these efforts are helping more Americans get into good-paying jobs and more businesses reinvest in the U.S. economy."
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