Everest Textiles, Taiwan based maker of high performance sports apparel will invest $18.5 million over five years to bring a sports fabric weaving and finishing operation at a site in Forest City. This will create employment for 610 at the manufacturing facility. This was announced by Governor Pat McCrory, North Carolina Commerce Secretary John E. Skvarla, III, and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC).

This innovation-based textile company has selected their state and its tradition of high-quality manufacturing to build its presence in the Americas. As North Carolina’s outstanding business climate offers great advantages to global manufacturers such as Everest Textiles, said Governor McCrory.

Everest Textiles USA, a unit of Everest Textile Co. Ltd. in Tainan City, Taiwan, expects to start production of the fabric during the second or third quarter next year, said Tom Johnson, interim director of the Rutherford County Economic Development Commission.

Everest Textiles will take over an existing building in Forest City, which measures almost 400,000 square feet, to create the plant. Workers there will weave, dye and finish the fabric, which will be used in sports apparel.

It’s the first U.S. operation for Everest Textile Co. The Taiwanese company now supplies apparel companies including Nike, Columbia and Patagonia from factories in Taiwan, China and Thailand.

Scott Chen, vice president of Everest Textile Co., said that the company is known for innovation. Everest positions itself as one of the leading global enterprises and commits to contribute to human society by providing innovative, environmentally friendly and comfortable textile products to the industry and consumers.

Everest Textiles qualifies for about $3.1 million in state and local incentives. The largest is a $3 million state Job Development Investment Grant that will be paid to Everest Textiles over 12 years.

The company plans to employ operators, supervisors and an administrative team. Once fully operational, the facility will add nearly $15.8 million annual payroll impact to the local economy.