HanesBrands growth
said to add 120 jobs
The expansion of a HanesBrands plant in Clarksville will increase total employment at the facility to 570 workers, the company said Friday.
A report earlier this month said HanesBrands is undergoing a $1.3 million expansion in Clarksville and will hire 120 workers at the plant. The company was awarded $400,000 through a federal Community Development Block Grant.
The expansion is the result of the company's plans to bring manufacturing of department store and fashion hosiery back to the United States. The hosiery line moving to Clarksville had been in Honduras.
The 120 new jobs will average approximately $39,000 a year in wages and benefits, HanesBrands said. Those interested in applying for a job can visit the Arkansas Workforce Center in Clarksville.
-- David Smith
State's pecan yield
increases 29 percent
Pecan production in Arkansas rose significantly in 2014, and its total value was up as well, the United States Department of Agriculture said in a report Friday.
The USDA report said Arkansas produced 3.5 million pounds of pecans in 2014, up 29 percent compared with the year before. While the average price per pound was $1.32, down 8 cents from 2013, the total value of the 2014 crop was $4.61 million, up from $3.78 million for 2013.
In other states of the USDA's Delta Region, Louisiana produced 14 million pounds, up 27 percent from the year before, and Mississippi saw production drop 82 percent to 1 million pounds in 2014.
Pecan production nationally was 265 million pounds, down slightly from 2013. The average price per pound for 2014 was $1.91, up 18 cents from the year earlier. Total value of the crop was $508 million, up from $460 million in 2013.
-- John Magsam
Arkansas Index falls
1.26, ends at 388.74
The Arkansas Index, a price-weighted index that tracks the largest public companies based in the state, fell 1.26 to 388.74 Friday.
Winners and losers were almost evenly divided.
Acxiom rose 2 percent in light trading.
P.A.M. Transportation Services was up 1.1 percent and hit a 52-week high during the day.
Murphy Oil lost 3.1 percent on heavy volume.
For the week, 12 stocks advanced and five declined.
Bank of the Ozarks had the best week, gaining 4.1 percent.
Deltic Timber dropped 3.7 percent for the week.
Total volume of the index was 22.9 million shares. The average daily volume for the week was 23.3 million shares.
The index was developed by Bloomberg News and the Democrat-Gazette with a base value of 100 as of Dec. 30, 1997.
Business on 01/24/2015