Gildan Yarns will invest approximately $5 million to revamp and operate a new yarn spinning mill in Eden, N.C.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said the yarn-spinning facility will create 85 jobs in Rockingham County. The new location will be the company’s fifth state-of-the-art yarn spinning mill in North Carolina. Eden is also home to Gildan’s first large-scale distribution center.
“Eden and Gildan Yarns have been great economic partners and it makes sense with their existing presence and the strong workforce that they would expand,” Cooper said.
Gildan Yarns is the yarn spinning division of Gildan Activewear, a global vertical apparel manufacturer headquartered in Montreal.
“We are very pleased to expand our operations in the Eden community and to invest in a new yarn-spinning facility,” Chuck Ward, president of Gildan Yarns, said. “This will be the company’s seventh yarn-spinning facility in the U.S. We are particularly proud to contribute to creating an additional 85 jobs in Eden in the next year as we open and ramp up our new operation.”
North Carolina Commerce Secretary Anthony M. Copeland said Gildan Yarns’ decision to expand and invest helps to solidify the state’s position the textile industry.
“North Carolina has more textile manufacturers than any other state and a world-class pipeline of textile talent to continue Gildan’s global operations,” Copeland said.
The North Carolina Department of Commerce led the state’s support for the company’s decision. Although wages will vary depending on the position, the average for all new positions could reach up to $37,707, it said. The current average annual wage in Rockingham County is $34,716.
A performance-based grant of $250,000 from the One North Carolina Fund will help facilitate Gildan Yarn’s operation in Rockingham County. The One NC Fund provides financial assistance to local governments to help attract economic investment and to create jobs. Companies receive no money upfront and must meet job creation and capital investment targets to qualify for payment. All One NC grants require a matching grant from local governments.
Related Stories
In addition to the Commerce Department and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, other key partners in the project include the North Carolina general assembly, North Carolina Community College System, Rockingham County Board of Commissioners, Rockingham County Economic Development Office and the City of Eden.
Over the past 10 years, Gildan has invested close to $1.5 billion in its vertically integrated manufacturing system, according to its annual report. During 2018, the company invested $125 million in capital expenditures that primarily went toward textile and sewing expansion, distribution, IT investments and several initiatives that reduced its environmental footprint.
The company manufactures and markets activewear, underwear and hosiery under the Gildan, American Apparel, Comfort Colors, Gold Toe, Anvil, Alstyle, Secret, Silks, Kushyfoot and Peds brands. Through a sock licensing agreement providing exclusive distribution rights in the U.S. and Canada, it also sell socks under the Under Armour brand.