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More jobs on the way, by way of Hong Kong

Tuesday, February 7, 2012
(Updated 1:40 pm)

A company that quietly located on Grandover Parkway  three  months ago already has hired 145  workers and expects to add another 55  by the end of the year.

And more jobs likely will follow.

Officials at LF USA , a subsidiary of Li & Fung Ltd. , a Hong Kong-based  multinational group, said they expect the company to double in size in three  to four  years.

“The good news for us in North Carolina  and you in the Triad  is that they grow,” Gov. Bev Perdue  said Monday  afternoon as she announced the company’s decision. “This is a tremendous day.”

In an unusual move, the company asked for no state or local incentives, economic development officials said, adding that Greensboro  beat out several other cities, including Orlando , Nashville  and Baltimore .

“Frankly, it was not much of a decision,” said Richard Darling , president of LF USA, which distributes and markets apparel. “We are convinced that this was the best decision we could make.”

Darling said the company began looking for a new location two  years ago.

“Greensboro was always in the back of our minds,” he said.

The company’s local workforce, which includes human resources, information technology, finance, customer service and support jobs, occupies two floors of the former Ladd Furniture  building at 4620 Grandover Parkway .

LF USA officials said all but about 20  of the initial hires were local. The others transferred from its office in New York . The Greensboro operation is the company’s second in the U.S.

They said the current location provides room for expansion.

“We do double every three to four years,” said Bruce Rockowitz , president and CEO  of Li & Fung. “But in this case, we will probably grow even faster.”

He did not provide more specifics.

Li & Fung is recognized as the world’s leader in consumer goods design, development, sourcing and distribution.

The company, which has about 27,000  employees worldwide, manages the supply chain for retailers and brands around the world. It has about 240  offices and distribution centers in the Americas , Europe , Africa  and Asia .

“They don’t make anything,” Dan Lynch , president of the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance , said of the company. “They move a lot of people’s goods and services.”

Lynch remarked about the company’s low-key site selection process, but described its approach as unusual in another way.

“Normally, companies aren’t this open about growth potential,” Lynch said. “They stated that this is just the beginning.”

Contact Donald W. Patterson at 373-7027 or don.patterson@news-record.com
 

Accompanying Photos

Joseph Rodriguez (News & Record)

Photo Caption: Rick Darling, president and CEO of LF USA, and Governor Bev Perdue listen to remarks by Bruce Rockowitz, Group President and CEO of Li Fung Ltd., who came in from Hong Kong for the announcement, on Monday.

Comments

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luvdowntowngso

February 7, 2012 - 5:57 am EST

It is always geat news to hear about the growth of a company and new jobs. It is my hope they will be a good corporate citizen and involved in our community.

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