Executives with Kent International Inc. said an assembly plant they opened in South Carolina Oct. 13 could be sourcing 70 percent of its components domestically by 2018.
Kent’s new subsidiary, Bicycle Corporation of America (BCA), began assembling bicycles for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. last week in Manning, SC. While the new plant today imports virtually all of its component parts from Taiwan and China, executives anticipate it will source 60-70 percent of of its inputs domestically by 2018.
Kent executives said they now expect to assemble more than 1 million bikes at the plant over the next four years; more than double what they had originally planned as other big-box retailers see the advantages of selling Built-in-USA bikes. The company expects to hire more than 200 people at the 200,000 square-foot-facility.
Kent also makes bicycles for Academy Sports and Outdoors, BIG 5 Sporting Goods, Blain’s Farm & Fleet, Dunham’s Sports, Meijer, Mills Fleet Farm, Target and Toys R Us.
“We are seeing the economics of domestic sourcing changing due to increased energy and transportation costs overseas,” said Arnold Kamler, Chairman and CEO of Kent International. “We have developed a long-term approach and are taking action to create our own manufacturing hub onsite by encouraging companies to move component part production here.”
