Shima Seiki

Free membership

Receive our weekly Newsletter
and set tailored daily news alerts.

Hosiery/​Seamless

HanesBrands to expand its Clarksville hosiery plant

Hanes expects to invest around US 1.5 million to buy and install additional machinery and to upgrade its packaging and dyeing operations.

26th January 2015

Knitting Industry
 |  Winston-Salem, NC

Hosiery/​Socks

HanesBrands, a leading marketer of everyday basic apparel, will add 120 jobs to expand the scope of production at its Clarksville, AR, sheer hosiery plant to take the place of offshore outsourcing.

The Clarksville plant is one of the largest hosiery knitting facilities in the world, according to the manufacturer, and has a workforce of approximately 450.

For the North American market, Hanes currently knits all of its sheer hosiery in Clarksville.

In cooperation with the city of Clarksville, Johnson County and the state of Arkansas, the company decided to increase employment at its Clarksville plant to add finishing and packaging of Hanes and designer hosiery sold at department stores.

Economic contribution

The new jobs will average approximately US 39,000 per year in wages and benefits, a US 4.7 million economic infusion into the local economy each year. Hanes expects to invest approximately US 1.5 million to buy and install additional machinery and to relocate and upgrade its packaging and dyeing operations.

“We are delighted to be able to add jobs at our Clarksville plant,” said Javier Chacon, Hanes senior Vice President of Global Operations. “It is not easy for a US plant to compete with offshore competitors, but the capabilities of our plant workforce and management team in Clarksville to continuously adapt, automate and improve efficiency is a testament to the resiliency of this facility since it opened in 1988.”

Clarksville operations

Unlike most apparel companies, Hanes manufactures the majority of its products in company owned plants in its global supply chain. For the North American market, Hanes currently knits all of its sheer hosiery in Clarksville, splits the sewing of seams for the knit hosiery between Clarksville and a company-owned facility in El Salvador, and splits the finishing and packaging of hosiery between Clarksville for mass retailers and an offshore contractor for department stores.

The expansion will result in all finishing and packaging being conducted in Clarksville. The company also operates hosiery manufacturing facilities in Europe for the European market.

“As companies continue to bring manufacturing jobs back to the US, we are committed to making Arkansas a leader in job creation and manufacturing,” said Asa Hutchinson, Arkansas Gov. “Thanks to HanesBrands for its decision to make this significant expansion in Arkansas. The fact the company chose to expand this specific facility demonstrates the quality of our workforce in Clarksville.”

Expansion and steady growth

The Clarksville plant is an important provider of jobs in the community and contributor to the stability and quality of life, the company reports. More than 85% of the plant’s employees have at least 10 years of service with the company.

Hanes worked with and appreciates the assistance of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the Johnson County Economic Development Corporation to bring the additional jobs and associated economic influx to Clarksville. The agencies are providing approximately US 900,000 in job development incentives and training assistance.

“HanesBrands has been an outstanding corporate citizen in our community for so many years, and this expansion will help the wellbeing of our community and contribute to continued long-term steady growth,” said Clarksville Mayor Mark Simpson. “It’s with great honour that we continue to partner with HanesBrands.”

www.hanes.com

Latest Reports

Business intelligence for the fibre, textiles and apparel industries: technologies, innovations, markets, investments, trade policy, sourcing, strategy...

Find out more