RICHMOND - Governor Mark R. Warner today announced that Basic Sportswear, a wholesale distributor and importer of t-shirts, fleecewear and underwear products, will locate a distribution facility in Mecklenburg County creating 40 new jobs for Virginians through a $2.25 million investment. Virginia successfully competed with North Carolina for the economic development project.
“This expansion will provide needed jobs for Southside Virginia,” said Governor Warner. “Basic Sportswear will greatly benefit from the region’s workforce and excellent mid-Atlantic location with key transportation access.”
Basic Sportswear Corporation of New York City is a distributor and importer of activewear and underwear from vendors including Fruit of the Loom, Sara Lee Knit Products, Vanity Fair Corporation and Gildan Activewear. The company’s current customer base is comprised of screen printers, embroiderers and discount retailers, primarily based in the eastern United States. The new facility in Clarksville will enable Basic Sportswear to satisfy their customers’ needs on a timelier basis and enable them to meet time-sensitive deadlines. The acquisition of the Virginia warehouse is an opportunity for the company to maximize expansion and growth, both domestically and overseas.
“Clarksville, Virginia was selected because of the area’s excellent workforce with experience and knowledge in the textile and apparel industry, not to mention the easy access to numerous transportation services that will enable us to satisfy our customer requirements of a 2-day transit turnaround,” said Eli Zami, President of Basic Sportswear. “Randolph Jones, Director of Economic Development for Mecklenburg County, was very instrumental in coordinating the work of all the concerned organizations required in making this a successful venture.”
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership (VEDP) received a call from Basic Sportswear in November 2003 seeking site selection assistance for a distribution center to serve Southside Virginia and northern North Carolina. VEDP presented a diverse portfolio of appropriate buildings and accompanied Basic Sportswear executives on location tours. The Lake Country Development Corporation and the Mecklenburg County Office of Economic Development worked together to promote the Kinderton Distribution Center and ultimately closed the deal. The Virginia Tobacco Indemnification and Community Revitalization Commission approved $100,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds to assist Mecklenburg County with the project. Basic Sportswear is eligible to receive enterprise zone tax credits through the Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development. The Virginia Department of Business Assistance will support the project with its Workforce Services Program.