VF Outdoor to Expand Office in Appleton Area
Project expected to add 70 jobs in Outagamie County
MADISON, WI. Oct. 1, 2014 – The Outdoor and Action Sports division of VF Corp. is expanding its facility in Outagamie County—a $2.7 million project that is expected to add up to 70 new jobs in the Appleton area.
VF Outdoor, a subsidiary of VF Corp., a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel and footwear, is adding 19,000 square feet to its existing offices in Greenville, where more than 700 people now work. Construction on the project began in July and is expected to be completed in December.
“A great economy is built on commitments made by companies such as VF Outdoor—a company that has decided to stay in Wisconsin and grow here,” Governor Scott Walker said. “As an industry leader with many location options to select from for its expansion, we are delighted they chose Wisconsin. As more and more national companies are discovering, Wisconsin is a great place to establish and grow a business.”
“Our business is growing,” said Randy Schilt, operations chief financial officer and controller for VF Outdoor, Inc. “We are pleased to be investing in the Fox Cities, which has great people with the talent and skills necessary to support the business needs for each of our eight brands. We provide sales, customer service, product design, graphics support and apparel decoration, in addition to financial services for VF’s outerwear, sportswear and footwear brands.”
VF Outdoor brands include: The North Face®, Timberland®, JanSport®, Eagle Creek®, Reef®, Vans®, Smartwool® and lucy®.
The Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) has authorized VF Outdoor to receive up to $880,500 in state tax credits. The company is eligible for $310,000 in job creation credits over the next three years. The actual amount of credits will be contingent upon the number of jobs created. WEDC also authorized up to $570,500 in job retention tax credits over five years.
“We’re pleased to be able to play a key role in assisting VF Outdoor with its expansion plans and bringing more jobs to the Fox Valley,” said Reed Hall, secretary and CEO of WEDC, the state’s lead economic development agency. “Since 2012, WEDC has provided nearly $20 million in awards to Appleton-area companies that are expected to create or retain more than 4,700 jobs.”
“This is welcome news for both Greenville and Outagamie County alike,” said County Executive Thomas Nelson. “When a company like VF Outdoor makes a significant investment in a community like ours, it’s a key indicator of the quality of that community’s workforce and its quality of life. Outagamie County is a wonderful place to live, work and play.”
“We applaud the work of Outagamie County and WEDC to help create more jobs in the New North region,” added Jerry Murphy, executive director of New North, the regional economic development organization serving northeastern Wisconsin. “It’s thriving companies with a progressive outlook like VF Outdoor that bring vitality to our regional business community.”
VF Outdoors’ parent company, VF Corporation, is a global leader in branded lifestyle apparel and footwear with more than 30 brands. The company’s five largest brands are The North Face®, Vans®, Wrangler®, Timberland®, and Lee®. Other brands include 7 For All Mankind®, Bulwark®, Eagle Creek®, Eastpak®, Ella Moss®, JanSport®, Kipling®, lucy®, Majestic®, Napapijri®, Nautica®, Red Kap®, Reef®, Riders®, Splendid® and SmartWool®. For more information, visit www.vfc.com.
