Athletic footwear and apparel manufacturer New Balance Athletics announced that the company will invest $68.5 million to establish a new distribution center in Lebanon.
.@newbalance will invest nearly $69M to establish a new distribution center in Lebanon, Tennessee.
The global leader in athletic footwear and apparel will create 150+ new jobs in Wilson County at the company's new location in the Speedway Industrial Park. https://t.co/gu8l5pTuDS pic.twitter.com/WcEtrXCg04
— TNECD (@TNECD) October 18, 2022
“We are excited to open our new distribution center in Lebanon, Tennessee, that will drive increased agility, capacity and collaboration across our North American distribution network,” Dave Wheeler, chief operating officer of New Balance, stated. “This new state-of-the-art facility will ensure we can continue to provide world-class customer service and achieve our strategic growth goals. We greatly appreciate the tremendous support we’ve received at the local and state level and look forward to joining the Wilson County business community.”
New Balance was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. The company has more than 7,000 associates worldwide and its global annual sales were $4.4 billion in 2021.
As part of its digital commerce business for footwear, apparel and accessories, as well as its wholesale and retail operations for apparel, New Balance will create more than 150 new jobs in Wilson County at its new location at Speedway Industrial Park, according to the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD).
“As a former educator and coach, I recognize the significance of the New Balance brand and welcome them today to our community,” Wilson County Mayor Randall Hutto stated. “I also want to thank this leader in sportswear and accessories for their confidence in Wilson County, Tennessee. We look forward to being a long-term ‘Team New Balance’ member and want to thank our other members including the state of Tennessee, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the Joint Economic and Industrial Boards of Wilson County.”
It is expected that the new automated processing facility will be completed in late summer 2023 and will be approximately 350,000 square feet, TNECD notes.
“I am proud to welcome New Balance to Tennessee as the company locates new distribution operations in Wilson County,” Tennessee Governor Bill Lee said in a statement. “Tennessee’s central location and highly skilled workforce provide companies like New Balance with the advantages they need to succeed, and I look forward to building a partnership with the company in the years ahead.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
Photo “New Balance Warehouse 3-D Model” by TNECD.
What did it take in cash and incentives to entice New Balance to build in Wilson County?
Why is it virtually impossible to learn what the state doles out to these folks essentially on their promise to create “X” number of jobs. Who from the state goes and verifies these lofty promises are met? My guess is that no one does. That would require accountability.