Clothing and apparel brand Carhartt is considering plans to open a new distribution facility in Fort Worth that could add hundreds of jobs.
Carhartt Inc. is in talks with the city of Fort Worth to open a proposed 1.2-million-square-foot distribution center at state Highway 114 just west of the Texas Motor Speedway, which could bring more than 500 jobs to the city, WFAA reported.
Found in 1889, Carhartt is a family-owned business headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, specializing in high-quality workwear, outdoor apparel, and gear. The retailer operates more than 30 locations nationwide and employs about 5,500 workers.
On April 11, Fort Worth City Council members will hear the plans for Carhartt’s planned distribution center. A public hearing to redesignate the area as a reinvestment zone will be held the same day.
As part of the incentive package, a seven-year tax abatement would be applied on up to 75% of Carhartt’s real and business personal property taxes, with a cap of $2 million.
In return, Carhartt will make an $80 million investment in personal business property and provide the facility with equipment and machinery. Per the agreement, a third-party logistics provider would handle the facility’s design, construction, and management.
A large distribution center can play a significant role in a city’s economic development and growth, according to Randy Touchstone, executive vice president at JLL Industrial Services Division.
“Everything that ends up in a retail store comes from a warehouse, so it’s got a huge influence on the industrial market locally and regionally,” Touchstone told WFAA.
The average annual salary of the 500 potential full-time jobs at Carhartt’s distribution center is more than $55,000, Community Impact reported.
These kinds of tax incentives are what Gov. Greg Abbott said he wants to see from Fort Worth in his recent address to the business community.
“Fort Worth is a big part of the Texas economic juggernaut, and its success has been aided by strategic economic development tools,” Abbott said, as reported by The Dallas Express. However, “to keep Texas the best state for business, our local communities need new economic development tools this session.”
If approved, Carhartt’s proposed distribution center will go through the process of obtaining building permits through the City of Fort Worth.
While Dallas is held back by a costly and slow permitting process, nearby cities with more efficient processes entice developers and companies to build elsewhere in the metroplex. Still, a new distribution center in Fort Worth would help attract business and keep North Texas competitive.