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Sessions visits a sleeping bag manufacturing factory in Haleyville

11 Sep '12

2 min read

America's largest sleeping bag manufacturing facility just got larger, and U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions was the first official to witness it.

Exxel Outdoors hosted Senator Sessions and his staff at its Haleyville, Alabama plant, where he met with factory workers and learned details about the plant's $2.5 million increase in size and innovations.

“Exxel Outdoors has a fabulous team, and the expansion they've undertaken is a testament to the skill and dedication of Northwest Alabama's workers, which are some of the finest anywhere in the country,” remarked Senator Sessions.

“We're delighted to have Senator Sessions visit us here in Haleyville, and to show him how we've been allocating our profits to grow our sleeping bag manufacturing operations and create more jobs,” said Exxel Founder and CEO Harry Kazazian.

“We at Exxel believe that the 'Factory of the Future' is actually the American factory, so we're investing in ours to help lead the way,” commented Kazazian.

Kazazian also announced that Exxel Outdoors' expansion is moving forward with the support of Bank of America.

Kazazian and Exxel's VP of Operations Barbara Garrison escorted the Senator and his staff through the plant to show them expansion highlights including:

• Adding 50,000 square feet of facility space, bringing the total to 300,000 square feet

• Adding new management layer – a factory manager reporting to the VP of Operations

• Updating and streamlining manufacturing equipment for efficiencies

• Installing advanced equipment to produce shaped bags such as mummy and semi-rectangular bags, as well as comforters for outdoor and indoor uses

Up until now Exxel has produced all their non-rectangular, shaped sleeping bags in Asia. Exxel's Alabama factory has for years been the most efficient sleeping bag factory in the world, but tooled to produce rectangular bags only. Exxel recently decided to invest in equipment and staff to make shaped bags, which require more sophisticated processes at their Alabama factory.

Exxel Outdoors is a leading global manufacturer and distributor of high value products for family camping and outdoor recreation, supplying to major mass retailers, sporting goods chains and e-commerce. Exxel has been named to the 2010, 2011 and 2012 “Inc. 500/5000”, a prestigious ranking of the fastest growing private companies in America.

Exxel Outdoors

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Sessions visits a sleeping bag manufacturing factory in Haleyville

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