Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD), and 3M Company announced Thursday the consumers goods company will invest approximately $470 million to build more manufacturing operations in East Tennessee. The expansion is expected to add around 600 new jobs by 2025.
Governor Lee said, “3M’s decision to expand in Tennessee is a testament to our state’s pro-business climate and skilled workforce. The creation of nearly 600 new jobs in Anderson County will positively impact this community for years to come, and we thank 3M for their investment in our state.”
The statement said 3M will expand at the Eagle Bend Industrial Park. The company plans to invest in two of its fast-growing product lines; Filtrete air filters and Command adhesive strips. The new construction will “increase capacity and reduce manufacturing cycle time to be more responsive to growing consumer demand,” and will improve sustainability by using more renewable packaging, such as paperboard, instead of their current plastic.
“The talented people in East Tennessee, the partnership from the state government, and the flexibility of our manufacturing facility create an ideal environment for additional investment in Clinton.” Mike Roman, chairman and chief executive officer of the 3M Company said. “The continued demand for innovative new 3M products, especially for home improvement, makes us optimistic about our growth in Clinton.”
TNECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe said, “Tennessee is known by the brands that call our state home, so we are proud that 3M has decided to invest nearly $470 million to expand its Anderson County operations. We thank 3M for its continued investment in Clinton and realize that this win would not be possible without the strong leadership at the local community level.”
The Tennessee Star reported in November that employees the 3M company had protested against the company’s COVID vaccine mandate at their Minnesota headquarters. The company mandated workers take the vaccine with a deadline of December 8, 2021, but so far there have been no announcement from the company regarding any updates.
In a “Frequently Asked Questions” memo posted on the company’s website dated November 2021, 3M states that while they encourage their workers to take a COVID-19 vaccine, they do not require them to do so. However, they add, since they are a federal contractor with more than 100 employees, they will comply with the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
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Morgan Nicole Veysey is a reporter for The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Follow her on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]
Photo “3M Employee” by 3M.
Any tax or other monetary incentives handed out by the state for this expansion? Would be nice to know.