World's Largest Jean Manufacturer Closes Last Five North American Plants

---

Researched by Industrialinfo.com (Industrial Information Resources, Incorporated). Levi Strauss & Company, one of the world's leading branded apparel companies with products in more than 100 countries worldwide, has decided to close their last five remaining manufacturing and finishing plants in North America eliminating nearly 2,000 jobs.

Two United States sewing and finishing operations located in San Antonio, Texas will be closed by the end of 2003 affecting over 800 employees (Plant 1019580). Two sewing plants in Edmonton, Alberta (Plant 2015716) and Stoney Creek, Ontario (Plant 2015420) and one finishing plant in Brandtford, Ontario (Plant 2016711) will close in Early Spring 2004. Approximately 1,180 Canadians will be out of work resulting from the Canadian closures. Levi was one of the last few apparel brands that owned and operated manufacturing facilities in North America.

Levi has gone through several waves of lay-offs and closed several other plants around the country including Blue Ridge, Georgia (Plant 1503742), Powell, Tennessee (1510808), Valdosta, Georgia (Plant 1501096) and Harlingen, Texas (Plant 1519235) over the past several years. In Europe, two plants have also been recently closed.

Manufacturing from the five plants will be shifted to Levi Strauss & Company's global sourcing network allowing the company to focus on product design, marketing and sales.

Four distribution centers in the United States located in Henderson, Nevada, Little Rock, Arkansas, Canton, Mississippi, and Hebron, Kentucky (Plant 1021633) will remain open despite the manufacturing closures and cut backs. Corporate headquarters with over 1,500 employees will remain in San Francisco, California (Company 1050824).

Levi Strauss & Company, founded in the 1853, has grown from a small dry goods wholesaler to the world's largest branded clothing maker over the past 150 years. The descendants of the Levi Strauss family privately hold Levi Strauss & Company. Levi manufactures denim jeans, jackets, Dockers slacks, shirts and accessories. Sales in North America were $2.7 billion in 2002 accounting for over 65% of their total worldwide sales.

To purchase a listing of past or future plant closings in the US, Canada, or Mexico contact Industrialinfo.com's Member Services at 800-762-3361