The Spring Air Company, one of the world's largest mattress manufacturing companies, announced February that it will open a state-of-the-art production center in a shuttered 351,000-square-foot facility in the Durant Industrial Park in Durant, Okla. The new plant is expected to employ up to 300 and be operational by the summer of 2009.
The company said that after an extensive search, it selected the Durant site for its access to major interstate highways that will better enable it to service its growing customer base in the Midwest. When operational, the facility will be Spring Air's largest manufacturing facility in the United States.
"We could not be more grateful to TEAM DURANT, the City of Durant and Durant Industrial Authority who have been wonderful partners in this process. They understood our needs and were responsive to all of our concerns and issues," said Spring Air CEO Steve Cumbow. "As our company continues to grow, we needed a state-of-the-art facility that would bring us closer to our customers in this region of the country."
More than 100 state and local business, political and civic leaders joined the company for the announcement.
"Oklahoma communities big and small face tough decisions and challenges every day. Spring Air's investment in the City of Durant is a direct result of teamwork and cooperation between industry and government leaders," said Oklahoma Lt. Governor Jari Askins. "It is another example of successful economic development and a sign of greater opportunity for rural Oklahoma."
"The arrival of Spring Air will create new jobs and provide the Durant area with a great economic boost. The leaders of Durant are doing incredible work to bolster the region's economy," said Oklahoma Department of Commerce Secretary Natalie Shirley. "Commerce will not waiver from its mission to increase the quantity and quality of jobs throughout the state of Oklahoma."
"Spring Air's senior leadership team has been a pleasure to work with," stated Durant Mayor Jerry Tomlinson. "This process has been on the fast track and Durant has landed this project due to the honest, upfront business negotiations between everyone involved. We look forward to having a great corporation such as Spring Air in our community."
The City of Durant and the Durant Industrial Authority are two of the key players in the TEAM DURANT economic development concept, recruiting new investments and job creations for Durant, Bryan County in southeastern Oklahoma, which encompasses a region of north Texas.
The members of TEAM DURANT that supported this new Spring Air Manufacturing facility are the City of Durant, Durant Industrial Authority, Durant Economic Development Council, Kiamichi Technology Center, Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Oklahoma Department of Commerce, Oklahoma Career Tech, Southern Oklahoma Development Association, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma Natural Gas Company, Medical Center of Southeastern Oklahoma, Durant Area Chamber of Commerce, Southern Oklahoma Workforce Board, Durant Workforce Center, and Oklahoma Employment Security Commission. Other local entities also provided additional information that was required to win the confidence of the Spring Air executives for this new Oklahoma project.
With the current state of the U.S. economy and jobs being sent overseas, Spring Air was excited to partner with TEAM DURANT to enable local citizens to work in this facility, and improve the quality of life that will occur with a $30 million investment in the community. The company also said it was exploring other ways in which to partner with local businesses.
"We are extremely delighted to be able to work with Spring Air and to be able to have this new industry as part of our growing community," said John Cathey, Chairman of the Board, Durant Industrial Authority. "Spring Air is a great manufacturing project that gives us diversity in manufacturing, and brings a totally new segment of manufacturing for our community."
Founded in 1926, the Tampa, Fla.-based Spring Air is one of the world's largest mattress manufacturing companies with more than 650 employees in nine company owned locations in the United States, and three domestic and 20 international licensee facilities with approximately 1,220 employees. Its well-known consumer brands include: Back Supporter Classic, Back Supporter Four Seasons, Nature's Rest, Ironman and Chattam & Wells.
