Excel Boat Company, LLC will invest $9 million to establish a new manufacturing facility in Ridgely, TN. The boat manufacturer plans to create nearly 200 jobs in Lake County over the next five years.
“Tennessee’s strong economic climate for manufacturers coupled with the desire and work ethic of the good people of Lake County made this an easy decision for us,” said Excel Boat Company CEO Glenn Foreman. “By establishing operations in Ridgely, we have a chance to make a huge difference in a community that truly wants us and deserves this Excel Boats manufacturing plant.”
Excel Boats, located in Mountain View, AR, manufactures a full line of high-end aluminum boats for outdoor recreational enthusiasts. The company will construct a 100,000-square-foot facility in Lake County, including an office space, showroom and visitor area. Construction will begin in July 2018 and the facility is expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2019. Excel Boats will begin hiring in the third quarter of 2018.
At the Ridgely plant, Excel Boats will produce a new, expanded line of hunting, fishing and recreational boats. The company will also manufacture boat trailers, wiring harnesses, upholstery, bracing and other boating products for its dealership network.
“Excel Boats’ new plant and the creation of nearly 200 jobs will be transformational for Lake County,” said Governor Bill Haslam. “One of our priorities has been to attract jobs and private capital investment in rural Tennessee. Excel Boats’ investment in Lake County shows that Tennessee will lead in recruiting quality jobs to our rural communities and putting them on a sustainable economic footing.”
“We’ve put considerable resources in place to lift up rural parts of Tennessee, particularly Tier-4 communities like Lake County that have not benefitted in our state’s overall growth,” said Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe. “I’d like to thank CEO Glenn Foreman and the leadership team at Excel Boats for this investment in Ridgely. Excel Boats is a tremendous company and the jobs, wages and economic impact of this plant will have a long and lasting impact on Lake County.”
“Our team and the governor’s team worked hard to bring this great company to Lake County,” Lake County Mayor Denny Johnson said. “We have the best employees available and our quality of life in Lake County cannot be beat. We look forward to Excel Boats becoming part of our family.”
Relocating or Expanding Your Business In Tennessee
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