The city of Fayetteville, NC, and the Cumberland County Business Council are looking for ways to help M.J. Soffe expand operations at its plants in the region. According to an article in The Fayetteville Observer, Soffe may add about 80 jobs to the apparel plant east of the Cape Fear River.


 


The jobs could come from Maiden, where Delta Apparel, which owns M.J. Soffe, has a plant. Delta Apparel acquired M.J. Soffe in 2003. M.J. Soffe employs about 900 people between its Fayetteville and Rowland plants.


 


The possibility of M.J. Soffe moving from Fayetteville was mentioned during the private meeting, sources told the newspaper.  Delta Apparel opened a $15 million textile plant in Honduras this year, and has shifted some of its U.S. jobs to that plant.


 


Last week, however, Jim Soffe, Soffe's chief executive officer, said in an interview with The Fayettevile Observer that there was “no way” the company would move all operations overseas.


 


“You can’t distribute goods to American customers without a distribution center,” he said.