Chamber group tours Lee Distribution
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The Cullman Area Chamber of Commerce existing business/industry
committee sponsored a tour of Lee Jeans Distribution Center in Holly
Pond recently. The 500,000 square-foot facility is one of two such distribution centers run by Lee Jeans, a subsidiary of Vanity Fair Jeanswear. Like its sister center in Mocksville, NC, the Holly Pond plant is responsible for preparing jeans and casual wear and shipping them to vendors across the country. Roughly 21 million units are shipped from Holly Pond each year, averaging out to approximately 100,000 sets of jeans per day. The Lee Distribution Center made its first such shipment in 1985. Since that time, the company has grown to employ over 300 workers, most of whom are full-time. |
 Inventory Control Supervisor Mike Simpson leads part of the Chamber tour group through the 11.5 acre Lee Jeans Distribution center in Holly Pond. |
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"We still have quite a few people here who started with us in
1985," said Inventory Control Supervisor Mike Simpson of Lee's
workforce. In addition to the employees who have been with the company since the distribution center opened, Simpson noted that 100 new employees have been hired since December of 2000, due to an expansion of an existing product line. |
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 Hanceville Mayor Bobby Brown and Keith Jackson of the Industrial Development Board listen as Simpson explains the workings of the Lee Distribution Center. |
"We hired 100 new people to handle the women's casual line,"
Simpson said. "we were glad to have the extra work ... it's job
security for our people." Employees of Lee Jeans Distribution are divided into two shifts and perform such duties as case pulling, stocking, labeling, shipping and receiving, data processing, clerical and administrative work. Simpson described the highly competitive clothing manufacturing industry as he led one of two tour groups through the plant, expounding upon the philosophies central to the company's success. "Whatever the customer wants, we give them," Simpson said. "If we don't, someone else will. "Our company cares about its employees and is really concerned with employee safety. Ergonomics and a safe working environment are a big issue." |
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| Allen Loggins, area production manager for Lee Jeanswear, was on hand for the tour. According to Loggins, the Cullman County distribution center is a vital part of Lee's operation and the company is proud to be associated with both the Town of Holly Pond and Cullman County. | ||
 Cases of jeans, stacked and awaiting shipment to vendors and outlets stores. |
"We're pleased to be here in Holly Pond," Loggins said. "We've had a lot of success here in Cullman County, and we hope to continue." |  An exterior view of Lee's Holly Pond distribution center. |
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Lee Distribution is located on Highway 278 in Holly Pond. For more information on the company, check out www.leejeans.com or check out Lee's parent company, the VF Corporation at www.vfc.com. |
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 Area Production Manager Allen Loggins speaks to CRMC's Terri Lavender and others in the Chamber tour group. |
 Lee employees work at specially designed ergonomic tables. |
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