HomTex Inc. plans to open a manufacturing plant in Selma that will produce personal protective equipment and will create more than 300 jobs, made possible by $10.5 million in funding from the federal coronavirus relief bill.

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey outlined HomTex’s plans for the Dallas County facility, which will produce Food and Drug Administration-approved three-ply and N95 masks for health care providers, government agencies and the general public.

“HomTex has made Alabama proud by stepping up during the COVID-19 pandemic to shift their production to create critical PPE supplies,” Ivey said. “Their ability to be flexible in order to remain operational is the exact intent of the CARES Act funds.

“I appreciate their commitment to the economy and Alabama workers by providing needed jobs in Dallas County, and thank HomTex for being a great corporate partner with the state of Alabama,” she added.

According to an agreement with the state, Cullman-based HomTex will use $9.57 million of the coronavirus rescue package funding to purchase mask production equipment and another $1 million to purchase materials.

The Selma facility will be able to annually produce 250 million three-ply masks and 45 million N95 masks, adding to its personal protective equipment production in Cullman. The project will create between 300 and 325 jobs.

“We are very honored to be the recipient of COVID Relief Funds from the state of Alabama,”said Jeremy Wooten, president and chief financial officer of HomTex. “These funds allow us to stand up a second face-mask production facility.

“This second operation will make HomTex Inc. one of the largest face-mask manufacturers in the USA, and we are proud to be manufacturing these products in Cullman and Selma,” he said. “We very much appreciate the support from the governor, the state senators and everyone who made the factory in Selma a reality.”

The HomTex linens factory in Cullman began producing personal protective equipment shortly after the coronavirus pandemic began early this year. (HomTex)

PPE production

HomTex, founded in 1987 by Wooten, is a family-owned manufacturer of bed linens and other items. In addition to its Vinemont and Cullman locations, HomTex has production and distribution facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee, as well as offices in China and India.

When the pandemic began, the company began producing cotton face masks at its Cullman facility. Demand was so great that in April it launched a $5 million expansion to begin producing the pleated, three-ply surgical masks used in hospitals, nursing homes and other facilities. The project was assisted by the Alabama Department of Commerce and the Cullman County Economic Development Agency.

The Alabama Department of Commerce has adopted a strategic goal of positioning Alabama as a permanent production site for personal protective equipment, including face masks, after the pandemic exposed that domestic production of these products should be a national priority.

“The coronavirus pandemic has clearly demonstrated that our country needs a dependable domestic production pipeline for PPE, and Cullman-based HomTex has stepped up to fill a portion of that critical need,” said Greg Canfield, Alabama commerce secretary. “With its expansion in Cullman and its new growth plans in Selma, HomTex is helping to make Alabama a U.S. hub for the production of PPE.

“In addition, the company’s new Selma operation will provide an economic boost for the Black Belt region and advance our strategic goal of providing opportunities in Alabama’s rural communities,” Canfield said.

In a partnership with HomTex, Wallace Community College Selma will offer apprenticeship programs that will allow students to help make masks for their region and beyond.

Workers sew face masks at the HomTex factory in Cullman. (HomTex)

‘New hope’

Officials in Cullman and Dallas counties welcomed the company’s expansion plans.

“Through this pandemic, we have seen the need for bringing supply chain manufacturing back to America,”said state Sen. Garlan Gudger of Cullman. “The only way to make these expansions happen is by working together.

“Alabama is proving that partnerships are the key to creating a better future for our state and the nation,” he said.

State Sen. Malika Sanders-Fortier of Selma said the project, advanced by bipartisan cooperation, will help Black Belt residents climb out of poverty. “I believe this is a first step that can breathe new hope into the people of the Black Belt for much more economic development to come,” she said.

Alabama received approximately $1.9 billion of the federal coronavirus aid to respond to and mitigate COVID-19. Alabama Act 2020-199 designated up to $300 million of the coronavirus relief funding to be used to support residents, businesses, nonprofits and faith-based organizations directly affected by the pandemic.

Earlier this fall, HomTex secured a contract to provide protective face masks to the federal agency responsible for the operation of the U.S. Capitol Complex, including Congress, in Washington, D.C.

This story originally appeared on the Alabama Department of Commerce’s Made in Alabama website.