Carhartt's Work In Progress line at Willys Detroit David Lewinski Photography
At 126 years old, workwear maker Carhartt has seen the popular appeal of its clothing grow beyond the work site, which is why the company is now expanding its headquarters in Dearborn.
The expansion will allow the company to grow its product line -- the go-to attire for so many jobs and trades -- and invest in research and development that will enhance its offerings and find untapped uses for its jackets, coats, overalls, coveralls and other clothing and accessories printed with the increasingly-recognizable Carhartt logo.
The nearly $18.6-million expansion of Carhartt's property on Mercury Drive in Dearborn will create 215 jobs and extend the company's reach. Founded in 1889 in Detroit, Carhartt recently opened a flagship retail store on Cass Avenue in the city's Midtown neighborhood. The company has opened retail outlets in several others states in recent months.
The headquarters expansion has financial support from the state of Michigan and city of Dearborn. The Michigan Strategic Fund, a program of the Michigan Economic Development Corp., awarded a $1.3-million Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant to the Carhartt HQ expansion in an effort to keep the company from opting to open a work site on the east and west coasts, where garment-industry talented is easier for employers to find, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
In addition, the city of Dearborn is keeping the company local by offering a tax abatement that will discount its taxes for eight years.
Source: Kathy Achtenberg, spokesperson, Michigan Economic Development Corp.
Writer: Kim North Shine
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