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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Southern Designs and Gifts Plans Natchez, Mississippi, Manufacturing Plant

06/14/2021
Southern Designs and Gifts, manufacturer of home décor items, will invest $2.428 million to locate manufacturing operations in Natchez, Mississippi. The project is expected to create 30 jobs.

The company recently doubled its workforce, prompting the need to expand into a larger facility. Southern Designs is expanding into the former K-Mart facility, where it will house a portion of its manufacturing and shipping operations.

“We are excited to expand our business into Natchez and the state of Mississippi. Vidalia and Natchez are essentially one town, separated only by a river. We intend to continue growing at both of our facilities and advancing the cause of regionalism for the Miss-Lou,” Tance Hughes, CEO, Southern Designs noted.

As an incentive, Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) and the city of Natchez are providing assistance for access road improvements. Southern Designs and Gifts also qualifies for the Advantage Jobs Rebate Program, which is for eligible businesses that create new jobs exceeding the average annual wage of the state or county in which the company locates or expands.

“MDA is glad to welcome Southern Designs and Gifts as the newest member of the Natchez business community and newest corporate partner to the state. In Natchez, the company found the ingredients needed to accommodate its growth, and I am certain its new location will serve the company well for generations to come. We appreciate our partners at Natchez, Inc., and the city of Natchez for working with MDA to ensure Southern Designs and Gifts’ successful expansion in Adams County,” noted MDA Executive Director John Rounsaville.

The company manufactures items for brands like Metal Unlimited, CutMaps and Carter + Main. For the past 13 years, the company has operated in Vidalia, Louisiana, where it produces laser-cut and powder-coated metal décor, laser-cut wood décor and custom-printed items.

“We are excited to see Southern Designs continue to grow in our region. With our business environment changing, we are pleased to see this business stay ahead of the times all while being a business partner for the area,” said Chandler Russ, Executive Director, Natchez, Inc.

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