Tianyuan Garments is planning to increase its investment in Arkansas by $10 million. The company has also announced it is set to hire 400 full-time employees at its Little Rock facility.
In October 2016, Tianyuan Garments, which operates in the U.S. as TY Garments, announced that it would be investing in an Arkansas facility. Its initial investment was $20 million, which funded the purchase of equipment, a building, and building renovations.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson toured the facility, which is located at the Port of Little Rock, today (May 30), when the company made the announcement.
“We welcome textile jobs back to Arkansas,” Hutchinson says. “The amount of direct foreign investment into the state is getting international attention right now. We still make things in Arkansas, and our workforce is prepared to handle manufacturing of all kinds. We’re thrilled to see the additional investment.”
Bringing the company to Arkansas required a year-long negotiation, as previously reported by Arkansas Money & Politics. Hutchinson visited China as part of a trade mission in 2016, and the company announced its plans for the Arkansas operation then.
“This project is a direct result of the Governor’s visit to China in 2016,” AEDC Executive Director Mike Preston says. “TY Garment’s decision to increase investment demonstrates the faith that the company has in our state to meet their needs. We welcome those interested to contact the company and apply for a job.”
The facility features 330 robots designed by Softwear Automation and 21 automated assembly lines.
“When fully operational, the system will make one T-shirt every 22 seconds. We will produce 800,000 T-shirts a day,” Tianyuan chairman Tang Xinhong, said in a press release announcing the creation of the Little Rock facility. “Around the world, even the cheapest labor market can’t compete with us.”
The company will be hiring for jobs. Those interested in applying can contact Kim Johnson, human resources manager for Tian Yuan Garments, at 501-747-0478 or visit https://tyusa.net/apply-now.
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