Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Flex-N-Gate officials announced today that the company will expand its operations, creating 91 new jobs in Blount County.
Flex-N-Gate, an automotive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) supplier, specializes in manufacturing plastic, metal, lighting and mechanical assemblies. The company will invest $5.5 million to upgrade and expand its Rockford manufacturing facility and increase production in lighting materials.
Flex-N-Gate has been manufacturing automotive parts since the 1960s. Headquartered in Urbana, Ill., Flex-N-Gate currently employs approximately 185 people at its Rockford location and 23,000 throughout the world. For employment inquiries please go to www.Flex-N-Gate.com.
Over the last five years, TNECD has supported nearly 70 economic development projects in East Tennessee, resulting in 9,000 commitments and $2.5 billion in capital investment.
QUOTES
“Supporting the companies in our automotive sector is key to the success and growth of Tennessee’s economy. I’m pleased to have Flex-N-Gate expand its Rockford operations, and I thank them for creating over 90 new jobs in Blount County.” – Gov. Bill Lee
“Tennessee is home to over 900 automotive suppliers, and since last year we have seen more than $2.3 billion invested in the automotive sector. At TNECD, we are focused on doing all that we can to support these companies so that when they are looking to grow, Tennessee is the clear choice. Thank you, Flex-N-Gate, for choosing Tennessee.” – TNECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe
“We would like to thank the state of Tennessee and Blount County for making Rockford the best place to locate this project. Flex-N-Gate looks forward to continued growth and job creation in partnership with TNECD and Blount County.” – Bill Beistline, Flex-N-Gate executive vice president of Metals and Procurement
“TVA and Maryville Electric Department congratulate Flex-n-Gate on its decision to expand in Blount County. It’s always an exciting day when we can celebrate a company’s commitment to continued growth in the Valley, and we are proud to partner with the Blount Partnership and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to support Flex-n-Gate’s business success.” – John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of Economic Development
“It’s no surprise to me that Flex-n-Gate is making a $5.5 million investment in Blount County to expand their operations and create 91 new jobs. Tennessee, especially Blount County, is a great place to do business. We are grateful to Governor Lee, Commissioner Rolfe and local officials for securing these jobs and this investment.” – Sen. Art Swann (R-Maryville)
“In Blount County, part of our mission has always been to help our existing companies expand and grow. We are grateful that Flex-N-Gate has the confidence to make this investment in our community.” – Rep. Jerome Moon (R-Maryville)
“Gather Around”—a new distillery is about to be uncorked. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and the Blount Partnership announced today the launch of Tennessee’s newest distillery Company Distilling, set to open in the fall of 2021 in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee.
When it comes to making spirits, Company Distilling’s know-how runs deep. It’s built from an assemblage of friends with a history of building distilleries, crafting exceptional spirits and bringing people together. The founders include renowned former Jack Daniels Master Distiller Jeff Arnett, Kris Tatum, former president of the Tennessee Distillers Guild, Corey Clayton, an accomplished construction management professional, Heath Clark, founder of H. Clark Distillery, and Clayton Homes, CEO Kevin Clayton.
“It’s this collaboration between friends seeking to produce a spirit worth gathering over that sparked the Company Distilling name,” said Company Distilling President, Kris Tatum. “Not only will the whiskey be best when enjoyed among good company, but the distillery’s property provides ample opportunities for gathering and outdoor fun.”
Set to open in 2022, the mixed-use, family-friendly facility in Springbrook Farm, a master planned “city center” in Alcoa, will serve as the primary distillery and the location for the spirit’s main manufacturing. The 20,000-square-foot refurbished building with a casual, mountain-inspired theme, will include a tasting room, restaurant, brewery and retail store along with ample outdoor activities and entertainment on the property’s 31 acres including a live music venue, corn hole, pickle ball courts, bonfire pits, and open access to greenway trails.
The first Company Distilling location to open, however, will be a 4,000-square-foot tasting room and restaurant in Townsend, Tennessee, the gateway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, later this year. Set along the Little River with the Townsend Greenway running along the front of the 13.5-acre property, the tasting room will offer access to cycling, running and nearby mountain biking and hiking trails.
The Distillery also has future plans to expand its footprint to Middle Tennessee in 2022 with a tasting room, retail store and tours located in Thompson’s Station.
In addition, the $20 million investment is expected to bring 60 initial new jobs to the area and that number is expected to grow over time. This growth in jobs, and ultimately economic welfare, will be felt beyond the immediate operations and across industries as the distillery will rely on the agricultural industry for its thoughtfully sourced ingredients and will provide growth for the Tennessee whiskey industry.
“Congrats to Blount County and all parties involved in this new venture,” said Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. “Both locations will showcase some of many reasons that the Great Smoky Mountains is a top place for people from all over the world to visit. Company Distilling’s investment in Blount County is further proof that East Tennessee has much to offer.”
“We’re proud to welcome Company Distilling to Tennessee and thank the company for its $20 million investment in Blount County,” said Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Bob Rolfe. “Company Distilling’s leadership team has a vast knowledge of the industry as well as the business landscape of the state, and I know the company will find great success in East Tennessee.”
“In 2009, Tennessee was home to only three distilleries, but now craft spirits are flowing from many counties across the state,” Tatum added. “We’re proud to be a Tennessee distillery and stand behind our meticulously crafted spirits.”
Arnett agrees that much thought—years in fact—have paved the way for Company Distilling.
“For years now, we’ve had this spirit in the back of our minds,” said Arnett. “It’s straight bourbon whiskey finished with maple wood to produce a sip like no other. It’s hard to believe it’s finally real. And it’s better than we ever imagined.”
Kevin Clayton adds that the location was just as thoughtfully chosen as the spirits themselves.
“Company isn’t meant to be just a product,” said Kevin Clayton. “It’s about setting aside time to enjoy life. We’ve chosen our locations in the Smoky Mountains for their scenery and wealth of outdoor activities. We have the river, the greenway and biking trails. We’re a place where people can come to sip good spirits and connect with friends for time well spent.”
About Company Distilling
For more information on Company Distilling, visit CompanyDistilling.com and subscribe to email updates or follow Company Distilling on Facebook and Instagram.
ADDITIONAL QUOTES
“I am very pleased that these jobs are coming to Blount County. We are excited about Tri-Star Spirits decision to locate their operations here and wish them every success as they move forward. I congratulate all our state and local officials who helped secure these jobs and this sizable investment. We will continue to make job creation a top priority.” – Sen. Art Swann (R-Maryville)
“I’m proud to welcome Tri-Star Spirits to Blount County. Their commitment speaks to our favorable business climate, exceptional quality of life and our talented workforce. I thank Tri-Star Spirits for their investment, and I wish them success in our community for many years to come.” – Rep. Jerome Moon (R-Maryville)
“TVA and Alcoa Electric Department congratulate [Company Distilling]on its decision to establish operations Alcoa. Helping to attract and retain job opportunities for the people of the Valley is fundamental to TVA’s mission of service, and we are proud to partner with City of Alcoa, the Blount Partnership and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to help further that mission and celebrate this announcement.” – John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of Economic Development
“I wholeheartedly welcome Company Distilling, Jeff Arnett and his team to Blount County. Having a distillery and operations located in Alcoa and Townsend offers outstanding options for our residents and visitors. A thank you also goes to Gov. Bill Lee, Tennessee ECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe, and our county and city commissioners for tirelessly working together to bring these types of enterprises to our area.” – Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell
“The distilling industry is one that integrates the agriculture, tourism and hospitality industries while benefitting the communities where they are located. For Blount County to have a group of proven industry and business leaders bring a project of this magnitude here is something that will pay dividends for generations to come. I commend Gov. Lee and the state of Tennessee for their readiness to back ventures like this on behalf of the Blount County Economic Development Board, I’m happy to welcome the Company Distilling and their leadership to Blount County and East Tennessee.” – Matt Murray, chairman of the Blount County Economic Development Board
“The city of Alcoa is thrilled to be selected as the headquarters for Company Distilling. Our city commissioners wish to thank Gov. Lee’s office, along with Tennessee ECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe for their tremendous assistance in putting together this project. We are ecstatic to bring this enterprise to the area, knowing how beneficial it will be to all Blount County visitors.” – Clint Abbott, Mayor of Alcoa
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe and Amazon officials announced today that Amazon will establish a new, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Alcoa.
The site, which is anticipated to launch in 2022, will create nearly 800 new, full-time jobs with benefits and opportunities to engage with advanced robotics. Amazon employees at the more than 634,812-square-foot pad fulfillment center will pick, pack and ship smaller customer items, such as books, electronics and consumer goods.
On top of the company’s industry-leading starting wage from $15, the company offers full-time employees comprehensive benefits including full medical, vision, and dental insurance as well as a 401(k) with 50 percent match starting on day one. The company also offers up to 20 weeks of maternal and parental paid leave and innovative benefits such as Leave Share and Ramp Back, which give new parents flexibility with their growing families.
The Alcoa facility will be Amazon’s third fulfillment center in Tennessee to use innovative robotics technology and the company’s eighth fulfillment center in the Volunteer State. In 2020, Amazon announced it would establish similar fulfillment center operations in Memphis and Mt. Juliet, Tenn.
Amazon currently operates fulfillment and sortation centers in Charleston, Chattanooga, Lebanon, Memphis, Murfreesboro and Nashville. The company is in the midst of building Amazon Nashville, a new downtown office that will bring more than 5,000 tech and corporate jobs to Nashville.
Since 2010, Amazon has invested nearly $9 billion in Tennessee, including infrastructure and compensation to thousands of its employees in the state. Amazon’s investments in Tennessee contributed an additional $8.7 billion into the state’s economy, and using methodology developed by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Amazon estimates its investments in the state have created an additional 12,700 indirect jobs on top of the company’s direct hires in Tennessee.
Amazon has pledged to invest over $700 million to provide upskilling training for 100,000 U.S. employees for in-demand jobs. Programs will help Amazonians from all backgrounds access training to move into highly-skilled roles across the company’s corporate offices, tech hubs, fulfillment centers, retails stores, and transportation network, or pursue career paths outside of Amazon.
The Blount Partnership is eager to work with Amazon and assist in its job creation and community involvement efforts. Since 2015, the Blount Partnership has brought forth eight major economic development announcements, totaling 3270 jobs and $1.763 billion in capital investment.
Over the last five years, TNECD has supported more than 60 economic development projects in East Tennessee, resulting in approximately 7,400 job commitments and $2.3 billion in capital investment.
All associates will go through hours of safety training and have access to continuing education opportunities through Amazon’s upskilling programs such as Career Choice. In this program, the company will pre-pay up to 95 percent of tuition for courses related to in-demand fields, regardless of whether the skills are relevant to a career at Amazon. Since the program’s launch, more than 25,000 employees have pursued degrees in game design and visual communications, nursing, IT programming and radiology, to name a few.
QUOTES “Over the past year, Amazon has announced projects in each of Tennessee’s grand divisions, accounting for nearly 3,000 new jobs. As we continue to navigate through the pandemic and reboot our economy, we know our recovery is supported by the success of our Tennessee businesses. We are grateful that Amazon continues to provide jobs to thousands of Tennesseans, and we congratulate the company on its newest fulfillment center in Alcoa.” – Gov. Bill Lee
“It is a testament to the strength of Tennessee’s business climate that companies are attracted to our state and choose to operate and expand here. Amazon is a global brand that has invested $1.5 billion and created more than 25,000 jobs across all three grand divisions of our state, and we appreciate their team for choosing to grow in East Tennessee. We would also like to thank Tennessee Department of Transportation Commissioner Clay Bright and his outstanding leadership team for their many contributions to help bring this project to fruition.” – TNECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe
“We are excited to continue creating a positive economic impact in the region with job opportunities and industry-leading benefits that start on the first day of the job. Tennessee is a great state for business and we are excited to have the opportunity to partner, grow and better serve our customers throughout this region.” – Holly Sullivan, Amazon’s head of worldwide economic development
“I, along with all the citizens of Blount County, are delighted Amazon made its decision to locate here. The jobs and worldwide recognition it brings are extremely beneficial to this area. We thank Amazon, Gov. Bill Lee, Tennessee ECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe, Tennessee Department of Transportation, and our county and city commissioners for tirelessly working together to bring this project to fruition. I, along with the citizens of Blount County, wish them great success and look forward to working with them for many years to come.” – Blount County Mayor Ed Mitchell
“Having Amazon locate in a community has proven to be beneficial for everyone involved, and on behalf of the Blount County Economic Development Board, I’m happy to welcome its leadership to Blount County and East Tennessee. The regional economic impact of an operation like this will be felt almost immediately. We are excited to get this project progressing quickly and look forward to watching it grow.” – Matt Murray, chairman of the Blount County Economic Development Board
“TVA and City of Alcoa Electric Department congratulate Amazon on its decision to locate and create hundreds of new job opportunities in Blount County. We are proud to partner with the Blount Partnership, City of Alcoa, and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development to celebrate Amazon’s continued commitment to job creation and investment in the Valley and look forward to supporting its future business success in the region.” – John Bradley, TVA senior vice president of Economic Development
“It’s no surprise that Amazon is making such a substantial investment in Blount County and bringing 800 jobs to our area. Companies realize that Tennessee is a great place to live and do business. I appreciate the work of state and local officials who helped secure these jobs, which will be a tremendous boost to the local economy.” – Senator Art Swann (R-Maryville)
“Amazon has been a great partner for Tennessee and I’m very proud to welcome them to Blount County. These 800 new jobs will help diversify our local economy. I thank Amazon for their investment in our community and I wish them success for many years to come.” – Rep. Jerome Moon (R-Maryville)
“The city of Alcoa is thrilled to be selected as the home of Amazon’s newest East Tennessee facility. Our city commissioners wish to thank Amazon, Gov. Lee’s office, along with Tennessee ECD Commissioner Bill Rolfe and especially the Tennessee Department of Transportation, for their tremendous assistance in putting together this project. We are ecstatic to bring this enterprise to the region, knowing that Amazon will be an outstanding community partner.” – Mark Johnson, City Manager of Alcoa
“Adding Amazon to the list of distinguished companies to the Blount County roster is truly a win for this area. Its reputation as being an extraordinary participant in community activities is something we anticipate wholeheartedly. The city of Maryville thanks Amazon for selecting this area to locate and offers its gratitude to Gov. Bill Lee, Tennessee ECD Commissioner Bob Rolfe, Tennessee Department of Transportation and every commissioner who saw the future benefits of this partnership.” – Greg McClain, City Manager of Maryville
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