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USA:Dickies embarks on expansion |
2004-9-21
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the 82-year-old veteran work-wear apparel maker , Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Co. is embarking a 141,000-square-foot expansion of its North Fort Worth distribution plant.
The expansion adds capacity to the company''s existing, 350,000-square-foot distribution warehouse at 9400 Blue Mound Road near Saginaw, said Jon Ragsdale, vice president of marketing for Williamson-Dickie.
Haws & Tingle General Contractors Inc. in Fort Worth has begun initial site work on the project. City of Fort Worth building permit officials value the new building at around $4 million, not including land acquisition costs.
"Our growth is pretty enviable," Ragsdale said.
The expansion is an investment in Fort Worth as a city and ensures growth for the company''s employee base, he added.
The company recently furthered its civic involvement, becoming the title sponsor of the new Nascar NEXTEL Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. The inaugural "Dickies 500" will take place Nov. 6, 2005, TMS officials said.
Williamson-Dickie is a private company and doesn''t disclose its revenue or the size of its work force.
The company''s annual gross sales are listed at $845 million in 2001, up from $690 million in 1998.
Ragsdale declined to comment on whether the expansion would create new jobs. But he indicated the company would take on more employees in the next 12 months.
Over the last several years, Williamson-Dickie has enjoyed an upsurge in growth through the introduction of new product lines for teens, which now comprise more than 25% of sales.
The company makes Dickie''s-brand khaki pants, bib overalls, jeans, women''s and children''s apparel and safety uniforms.
"We''ve seen phenomenal growth, considering we don''t invest millions of dollars in advertising," Ragsdale said.
Throughout its long history, the company''s success has come through focusing on one niche instead of "trying to be everything to everyone," said Sally Fortenberry, professor of merchandise and textiles at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth.
The company offers a quality product at a consistent price, she said. |
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