Home » Fruit of the Loom to expand in Bowling Green, create 50 jobs

Fruit of the Loom to expand in Bowling Green, create 50 jobs

Company expanding Kentucky presence to meet increased demand

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Bowling Green-based Fruit of the Loom plans to expand its existing distribution center in Warren County and create 50 full-time job opportunities.

Fruit of the Loom will expand its 540,000-s.f. Bowling Green distribution center by approximately 203,000 s.f. to help the company meet growing customer demand. Work on the expansion is expected to get underway in August and be completed in approximately one year.

In addition to the distribution facility, Fruit of the Loom’s corporate headquarters is located in Bowling Green, as is a local retail outlet store for its brands. The company – whose history in Bowling Green dates back to 1940 – now employs approximately 930 people in the city.

“This new investment at our local facility will allow us to continue to support our customer needs and product demands for our iconic brands that consumers know and love,” said Melissa Burgess Taylor, chair and CEO of Fruit of the Loom. “With our increased distribution capacity, we are well-positioned for sustainable, long-term growth.”

Fruit of the Loom traces its roots back to 1851 and has grown to become an international designer and manufacturer of family apparel, intimates, athletic apparel and sporting equipment. Its portfolio of brands includes recognizable names such as Russell Athletic, Spalding, Vanity Fair and Fruit of the Loom. Currently, the company employs approximately 30,000 people at operations in 15 countries.

Kentucky’s logistics and distribution sector employs nearly 80,000 people at 590 facilities across the state. In the past 12 months, distribution and logistics companies committed to creating nearly 2,000 full-time, Kentucky-resident jobs over the coming years, bringing nearly $285 million in private-sector investment to the commonwealth.

Ron Bunch, president and CEO of the Bowling Green Area Chamber of Commerce, said this project will have a long-term positive impact for the city.

“Fruit of the Loom provides a valuable service as a consumer goods company, which is a key diversification of business across the South Central Kentucky region and beyond,” Bunch said. “Their expansion will have an economic impact of over $86 million in Warren County over the next 10 years. We commend Fruit of the Loom for their commitment and what it means to our community and look forward to many more years of success.”