1,000 new jobs marks milestone for small East Tennessee community

A textile company will bring 1,000 jobs to a rural site north of Chattanooga, making history for the small community.

Gov. Bill Haslam announced Monday Textile Corporation of America will move its headquarters and manufacturing facility to Pikeville, a 1,600-person town in Bledsoe County.

The company has invested $27.1 million in the East Tennessee project, the largest private investment in county history, according to a Monday news release from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

"Tennessee’s central location and established workforce make it a prime location for companies like Textile Corporation of America to set up manufacturing operations," Haslam said. "By choosing Pikeville, Textile Corporation of America is helping us get one step closer to our goal of making Tennessee the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs."

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Textile Corporation of America makes industrial products such as apparel, bedding and linens for healthcare, hospitality and kitchen settings. The company will occupy an existing building, which sits on 16 acres in Pikeville.

Bledsoe County Mayor Gregg Ridley said as the leader of an economically distressed county, "getting 1,000 local jobs is a pivotal moment in time for our citizens and an answer to many prayers."

The announcement comes days after Haslam and state officials heralded Tennessee unemployment rate. At 3.6 percent in June, it's the lowest recorded state rate in decades.