August 11, 2009 —
Wellco Enterprises, a manufacturer of footwear for military, tactical,
industrial and outdoor applications will open a new manufacturing
plant in the Morristown Airport Industrial District bringing more
than 100 new jobs to the area. The announcement was made today by
Lee Ferguson, chief executive officer of Tactical Holdings Operations,
Inc. The company expects to begin operations in the next 60 days in
the building formerly occupied by BOS Automotive, Inc.
Wellco Enterprises is a wholly-owned
subsidiary of Tactical Holdings Operations, Inc. (THO), located in
Knoxville, TN. THO and its subsidiaries also have facilities in Lexington,
TN, Atlanta, GA, Ashland, OR, and Puerto Rico.
Joining Ferguson in making the announcement
were officials with the City of Morristown, the City's Industrial
Development Board, and the Morristown Area Chamber of Commerce.
The State of Tennessee's Department
of Economic and Community Development, TVA's Economic Development
Division, and the Northeast Tennessee Valley Regional Industrial Development
Association all participated with the local team to locate the project.
Ferguson stated the company was excited
about growing its business in the Morristown area. "We believe
that this is an ideal time to be expanding our operations and locating
in the Morristown area," he said. "This project is a result
of a growth plan that was developed in 2008. The existing available
Morristown facility is a good fit for our needs and the available
workers in the area represented a strong plus for our decision,"
he continued.
Morristown Industrial Board Chairman
R. Jack Fishman welcomed the news of the expansion. "With this
announcement, we hope to get a good start in having a great year now
and in 2010," he stated.
"Morristown, along with the rest of the nation, has been undergoing
a severe recession, and this new plant brings jobs to the area that
are sorely needed," he added.
The manufacturing project will realize
a capital investment of $8 million in building and equipment.
For more information on Wellco, visit the company's website at www.wellco.com.
