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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Renfro Corporation Invests $17.5 Million To Expand Its Cleveland, Tennessee Production Facility

03/07/2013
Renfro Corporation, a sock and legwear manufacturer, will renovate its Cleveland, Tennessee manufacturing facility. The renovation, necessitated by the addition of a new product line, represents an investment of $17.5 million in equipment and construction costs and the creation of 168 jobs over five years.

The increase of both current and new product lines has driven the company’s need to renovate current space in the Cleveland, Tenn. facility and lease some additional distribution square footage in a facility adjacent to the Michigan Avenue plant. A global leader in the design, manufacture, marketing and selling of legwear products, Renfro is the licensee for leading brands including Fruit of the Loom, Dr. Scholl’s, Ralph Lauren/Lauren Polo, Copper Sole, Wrangler, Sperry, Russell, Jerzees, Spalding, Bike and Carhartt. The company owns leading fashion brands K. Bell and Hot Sox.

“Renfro has been a corporate citizen of Cleveland for seven years and today’s announcement is exciting because it marks a new chapter for Renfro and the community. We are grateful to the state of Tennessee and the city of Cleveland for the encouragement we have received to renovate, innovate and create new jobs,” Andrew L. “Bud” Kilby Jr., CEO and President of Renfro, said.

“I want to congratulate Renfro on this expansion and thank them for their additional investment that will bring new opportunities for Tennesseans,” Gov. Bill Haslam said. “We placed a renewed focus on helping existing Tennessee businesses like Renfro expand in our Jobs4TN economic development strategy, and this announcement helps us in our efforts to make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”

“When a global company like Renfro chooses to expand in Tennessee, it sends a strong message about our state’s business-friendly climate,” said Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty. “With one of the best balance sheets in the entire country, Tennessee has once again shown it is a solid choice in an often uncertain world economy. I congratulate Renfro on its expansion in Cleveland and appreciate the company’s investment in our state and its citizens.”

“The Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce applauds Renfro’s decision to modernize and expand their operations in Bradley County,” Lisa Pickel, Director of Existing Industry for the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce, said. “The company is a vital member of our manufacturing community that provides over 250 jobs to our local residents and their decision to reinvest in the facility demonstrates once again that Bradley County and southeast Tennessee are a great place to do business. Most importantly, it once again shows the world this region provides a world-class workforce that is up to any challenge and worthy of anyone’s consideration.”

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