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Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty recently joined with Sullivan County officials in announcing the decision by C&F Group to locate a manufacturing facility in Kingsport, Tenn. The Ireland-based company will invest $12.5 million and create 450 new jobs over a four year period. The Kingsport facility will be the company’s first U.S. location.
"I appreciate the confidence C&F Group has shown in our state by choosing Kingsport for the company's first U.S. location," Haslam said. "This investment translates into hundreds of good-paying jobs for Northeast Tennesseans and plays an important part in our mission to make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs."
“C&F Group is a prime example of the growth and promise we see in Tennessee’s automotive industry,” Hagerty said. “Under Governor Haslam’s leadership, my department is working to foster a business friendly climate that gives companies the confidence to invest and create jobs. I welcome C&F Group to Tennessee and thank them for the high quality jobs they will create in our state.”
Hagerty and ECD senior staff called on C&F Group executives in Ireland as part of the recruiting process.
"Going to Ireland and visiting with C&F Group executives directly was a part of the recruiting process," Hagerty said. "After that visit, we understood the company’s needs and were able to address them in our state."
“After comprehensive review of more than 20 locations in the Southeast U.S. and across several states, Tennessee was the obvious choice for our new location,” Tom Hyland, president, C&F Manufacturing USA Inc., said “We would like to thank the State of Tennessee and the City of Kingsport, as well as Sullivan County for their support during our North American location analysis process.”
Headquartered in Galway, Ireland, the company provides its automotive customers with a turnkey solution for all decorative and functional trim components in aluminum and steel, racking for the data management industry, as well as small wind turbines. The Kingsport facility is located at 10388 Airport Parkway, in Northeast Tennessee Business Park, and will manufacture products for the three C&F Group divisions: automotive exterior trim components, data management and renewable energy industries. The C&F Group operates locations in Ireland, Germany, Czech Republic, Philippines, China and now the U.S.
“Today's announcement is the result of 18 months of hard work with the help of NETWORKS, the Kingsport Economic Development Board, the City of Kingsport and the State of Tennessee,” Kingsport Mayor Dennis Phillips said. “We look forward to doing all we can to ensure C&F Manufacturing USA Inc., is a major success.”
“We are thrilled C&F Group has chosen Sullivan County for its newest location,” Sullivan County Mayor Steve Godsey said. “We appreciate the hard work of state and local officials to make this happen and look forward to having C&F Group as a part of our community.”
“This has been a lengthy recruitment process, highlighted by a strong commitment of effort from Governor Haslam, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development staff, the City of Kingsport and the Kingsport Economic Development Board,” Richard Venable, chief executive officer, NETWORKS, said. “We hold high hopes for new job creation by C&F Manufacturing USA Inc., for years to come, and definitely are proud to be the first U.S. location for a successful Irish manufacturer with key international customers such as IBM, BMW and Volkswagen.”
About the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development’s mission is to develop strategies which help make Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs. The department seeks to attract new corporate investment in Tennessee and works with Tennessee companies to facilitate expansion and economic growth. To find out more, go to www.tn.gov/ecd.
