Office seating manufacturer 9to5 Seating to relocate China-based manufacturing operations to Union City, Tennessee, investing US$39.5M, creating 510 jobs; production set to begin early 2014 with launch of Made in America product line for retail market

Audrey Dixon

NASHVILLE, Tennessee , October 21, 2013 (press release) – Office Seating Manufacturer to Invest $39.5 Million, Create 510 New Jobs

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bill Hagerty along with 9to5 Seating officials announced today the company will relocate its manufacturing operations to Union City, Tenn. The announcement represents an investment of $39.5 million and will create 510 new jobs over the next five years in Obion County.

“I want to congratulate 9to5 Seating on this announcement, and I thank the company for its investment and commitment to Union City and Tennessee,” Haslam said. “Projects like these highlight all the great things happening in our state and reinforce our goal of making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs.”

“Tennessee’s manufacturing competitiveness has a distinct advantage in the global arena as companies continue to recognize the benefit of our ideal central location, ability to build and support infrastructure and superb business climate,” Hagerty said. “I appreciate 9to5 Seating’s investment in Union City and its continued focus on reshoring top manufacturing jobs back to our state.”

“9to5 Seating chose Union City as the home for our project because of its close proximity to our major markets, availability of talented workforce, and the generous help and assistance that the state of Tennessee, Obion County and Union City have made available to us,” 9to5 Seating CEO Darius Mir said. “We are determined to not only bring back manufacturing to the United States, but to reverse a 30-year trend by exporting our high quality USA made products competitively to Asia and other countries around the world.”

9to5 Seating will move its China based manufacturing facility to the U.S. and plans to occupy the Union City IDB Speculative Building at 3919 Greenfield Drive in the Northwest Regional Industrial Center. Production is scheduled to begin in early 2014, at which time the company will introduce a newly developed product line designed for the retail market under the brand name of Made in America (MIA) Seating.

“We have worked since the spring with 9to5 Seating. They are a good company with good jobs that the people of our community will embrace,” Union City Mayor Terry Hailey said. “This comes at a time when there is a critical need for new jobs in Union City and Obion County. I think 9to5 Seating will be happy they have chosen to locate here and we are so happy they did.”

“With the season of Thanksgiving fast approaching in Obion County, we count our blessings once again,” Obion County Mayor Benny McGuire said. “A great family-owned industry, 9to5 Seating, has chosen Obion County as their new home. We are extremely excited and welcome them to the great state of Tennessee and also to the great county of Obion.”

“This is a blessed day for Union City and Obion County,” Lindsay Frilling, economic development director of the Obion County Joint Economic Development Council, said. “There have been many people involved in making this project come to fruition, and I appreciate each and every one of them. I am very excited to have the Mir family joining our business community as it has been a pleasure working with them throughout this process.”

“TVA and Union City Electric congratulate 9to5 Seating on its Union City site announcement,” TVA Senior Vice President of Economic Development John Bradley said. “We are delighted to be partners with the state of Tennessee, Union City officials and the Obion County Industrial Board as we assist companies, like 9to5 Seating, to find an optimal location to locate, grow and provide quality jobs in our communities.”

Founded in 1982, 9to5 Seating is a vertically integrated manufacturer, specializing in the design and production of ergonomic office seating. For more information, please visit www.9to5seating.com/.

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. Find us on the web: tn.gov/ecd. Follow us on Twitter: @tnecd. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/tnecd.

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