After three years of trying to find a new facility, Homtex, a homegrown company and major manufacturer of sheets, will be staying in Cullman County and adding additional jobs.

With 105 employees at stake, HomTex chief executive officer Jerry Wootten said at a press conference today at Cullman City Hall, attended by Gov. Robert Bentley and a host of local officials, that the $4 million investment at the former Nicholson File/Apex Tools building would preserve those jobs and open the door to adding 30 to 40 more positions.

Editor’s Note: The City of Cullman approved a $3.85 million tax abatement for HomTex, Inc. for the renovation of a vacant facility and to purchase new equipment. The Cullman County Commission confirmed the tax incentive Tuesday.

The company was operating in Vinemont but was seeking a larger facility for multiple purposes. The facility the company is taking over in the West Point area will provide 290,000 square feet on 29 acres. The building will be a transportation operation and distribution center.

For Wootten, the building will also provide a third location for showcasing products to customers and potential customers from across the country. The other showroom facilities are in New York and Las Vegas, making Cullman its first showcase room in the South.

When the company began looking for a new facility, competition to relocate the company came heavily from North Carolina and South Carolina.

“This is home and Cullman is where we wanted to stay,” Wootten said. “We started out with 30 people making sheets out of remnants. We had one patent and today we have 15 patents. Cullman is where people had confidence in us.”

Governor Bentley, noted the Accelerate Alabama program he brought to office in first term of office, which has a key emphasis on assisting small businesses to grow and sustain.

“Just listening to Jerry and his story, this is what we need more of in this country. After being in Cullman four years ago after the tornadoes, what a change we see today,” Bentley said. “You are a great example of a great Alabama company.”

Bentley presented Wootten with an Alabama flag, which will be displayed at the new facility.

Cullman Mayor Max Townson said Wootten and his family are examples of the people who make Cullman a strong community.

“When I came into office, people were always saying Cullman is special. It’s the people like Jerry who make it special because they work from the heart. We work together here, the city and county, to make sure we have a great quality of life,” Townson said.

County commission chairman Kenneth Walker echoed the mayor’s thoughts.

“Jerry, thank you for you and your family and what you do for our community. We didn’t want HomTex going anywhere but here,” Walker said.

Wootten said after three years of work to secure the new location, he is excited about remaining in Cullman County and providing major customers with a new showroom for sales.

“I believe this is one of the best communities you can live in and build a successful business. We started with mostly family members working late into the night. We were so small, no one could ever imagine we would be where we are today,” Wootten said.

HomTex manufactures a wide variety of products under private brands such as FitRite, Dream Essence, Revive, Suprelle, and Dreamfit.

Products include:

* bed linens

* sleeping pillows

* mattress pads, protectors and toppers

* top-of-bed collections

* throws

* blankets

* decorative pillows

* towels

David Palmer may be contacted at dpalmer@cullmantimes.com or 256-734-2131, ext. 116.