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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Fruit of the Loom Expands Warren County, Kentucky, Distribution Hub

08/04/2021
Bowling Green, Kentucky-based Fruit of the Loom plans to expand its existing distribution center in Warren County, Kentucky. The project is expected to create 50 full-time jobs.

The company will expand its 540,000-square-foot Bowling Green distribution center by approximately 203,000 square feet. Work on the expansion is expected to get underway in August 2021 and be completed in approximately one year.

“This new investment at our local facility will allow us to continue to support our customer needs and product demands for our iconic brands that consumers know and love,” said Melissa Burgess Taylor, chair and CEO of Fruit of the Loom. “With our increased distribution capacity, we are well-positioned for sustainable, long-term growth.”

In addition to the distribution facility, Fruit of the Loom’s corporate headquarters is located in Bowling Green, as is a local retail outlet store for its brands. The company, whose history in Bowling Green dates back to 1940, now employs approximately 930 people in the city and approximately 30,000 people at operations in 15 countries.

“Fruit of the Loom has long been an important employer in our state, and I am glad to see the company grow its footprint in Bowling Green with 50 full-time jobs for residents in South Central Kentucky,” Governor Andy Beshear said. “Our state’s distribution and logistics sector continues to grow, thanks in large part to Kentucky’s ideal geographic location and talented workforce. These new job opportunities will greatly benefit Kentucky families, and I thank Fruit of the Loom for its continued commitment to our commonwealth.”

To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) today preliminarily approved a 10-year incentive agreement with Fruit of the Loom under the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based agreement can provide up to $500,000 in tax incentives based on the company’s investment and annual targets of creation and maintenance of 50 Kentucky-resident, full-time jobs across 10 years and paying an average hourly wage of $24 including benefits across those jobs.

Additionally, KEDFA approved the company for up to $250,000 in tax incentives through the Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act. KEIA allows approved companies to recoup Kentucky sales and use tax on construction costs, building fixtures, equipment used in research and development and electronic processing.

By meeting its annual targets over the agreement term, the company can be eligible to keep a portion of the new tax revenue it generates. The company may claim eligible incentives against its income tax liability and/or wage assessments. In addition, Fruit of the Loom can receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network.

“Fruit of the Loom provides a valuable service as a consumer goods company, which is a key diversification of business across the South Central Kentucky region and beyond,” said Ron Bunch, president and CEO of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce.

Fruit of the Loom is an international designer and manufacturer of family apparel, intimates, athletic apparel and sporting equipment. Its portfolio of brands includes recognizable names such as Russell Athletic, Spalding, Vanity Fair and Fruit of the Loom.

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