This global manufacturer is close to opening a new site in Rock Hill, adding 150 jobs
By next month, made in the USA will increasingly mean made in Rock Hill for a global, growing company.
Mattress, pillow and sleep accessory company MLILY USA plans to open a new 300,000-square-foot manufacturing site in Rock Hill by late June. It will grow to employ 150 people. The Rock Hill site at 874 Paragon Way, in Riverwalk Commerce Center, will be the second for MLILY in South Carolina, after the 2019 opening of its first U.S. factory in Winnsboro.
Domestic operations for MLILY are based in Knoxville, Tenn. Its parent company Healthcare Co. Ltd. is based in China. MLILY dates back to 2003 and now operates in China, Thailand, Serbia and the U.S.
The Winnsboro and Rock Hill sites will combine for about 1 million square feet of production space and 400 jobs. Expansion comes to meet growing demand for foam and hybrid mattresses, adjustable bases, pillows and other MLILY products.
“Last year, our company set a record for U.S. sales, and our goal is to double our revenue in each of the next three years,” MLILY USA president Stephen Chen said in an announcement for the new Rock Hill site. “The new facility in South Carolina will strengthen our identity as a viable resource for U.S. consumers, who are increasingly interested in buying made-in-America products, and will bolster our ability to ship quickly to our customers and provide best-in-class customer service.”
Rock Hill brings a geographic advantage, with its interstate and other transportation proximity.
“From there,” Chen said, “we can deliver to our east coast customers, especially those located in major metropolitan areas such as Atlanta, Cincinnati and our corporate home in Knoxville. It’s also a huge population center, which gives us access to a strong and capable workforce.”
The goal for each MLILY plant is to produce all the materials and components that go into each product.
“With everything that’s been going on lately with regard to limited raw materials and supply shortages, we want to limit our dependence on outside suppliers as much as possible,” Chen said.
The Rock Hill Economic Development Corporation jobs site lists production worker and forklift operator jobs at the new MLILY site with wages at $15 an hour.
This story was originally published May 17, 2021 at 10:52 AM.
