Approval ushers in the creation of 100 new full-time jobs

Today, the Amarillo City Council approved a Location Incentive Agreement presented by the Amarillo Economic Development Corporation to support North Heights Linen Service in Amarillo. This ratification comes after the approval by the Amarillo EDC Board of Directors on June 28, 2021. This final step in the approval process allows the Amarillo EDC to provide an incentive agreement that will allow North Heights Linen Service to hire 100 new full-time employees over a five-year period.

“Several local organizations came together to create a partnership to ensure that this project succeeds,” Kevin Carter, President & CEO of the Amarillo EDC, said. “We believe the addition of North Heights Linen will have a great long-term impact on our community by not simply from job creation, but these jobs will lead to opportunities of ownership within the company that will enable the employees to accumulate wealth.”

North Heights Linen Service will be a work-owned co-op that provides linen needs to local and regional hospitals. The 25,000 square foot facility recently had a ribbon-cutting in mid-June at 601 West Amarillo Boulevard. The Amarillo Area Foundation has been working on this project for over 9 years and has made a $3 million investment and a consortium of local banks agreed to fund the startup costs.

“I would like to thank the Amarillo EDC, the City of Amarillo, and the citizens of Amarillo for investing in the North Heights Linen Service and the North Heights neighborhood,” Puff Niegos, North Heights Linen Service President, said. “It’s meaningful to help employ all citizens of Amarillo, especially in the areas that are underserved, and we look forward to the impact that this will have throughout our community.

The agreement offers a $250,000 incentive, with the requirement of an average of $1 million in new payroll over the five-year hiring process. This agreement will have a projected capital expenditure of $3MM.