Brigade brings new life to Ashland garment factory

ASHLAND – When Brigade Manufacturing found out Gitman Bros. in Ashland was closing, they saw an opportunity.

“There’s not a lot of sewing talent left in this country,” Jamie Davenport, President of Brigade, said at Tuesday’s ribbon cutting at the former Gitman plant at the top of the hill in Ashland. He described the ex-Gitman workers as a valuable resource.

“The people that work here are not sewers. They’re tailors and craftsmen,” said Richard J. Holcombe, board of directors vice chairman for Brigade. “They care so much about the product that our client came up and did an inspection and said that we were the cleanest operation and that the finished product was the best he’d ever seen.”

Holcombe said the company had heard about five weeks ago through the rumor mill that Gitman was closing, and closed the deal to take over the plant about a week and a half ago.

“We started manufacturing here, it’ll be two weeks this Thursday,” said Holcombe.

Holcombe said that all of the financial operations for all Brigade divisions have moved to the Ashland facility, as well.

Gitman, the successor of the former Ashland Shirt and Pajama Co., manufactured high-end dress shirts for the Tom James Company for decades, and 90 workers were let go when the company closed, shifting production to southern states.

Brigade’s roots are in the southeastern United States, where Gitman shifted Ashland’s production, though they, instead, expanded and retained many of Gitman’s displaced workers.

Davenport says they have a need for about 260 operators to fulfill contracts for the United States Postal Service and the armed forces, and they hope to branch out into the commercial market.

Several of Brigade’s USPS uniform shirts were on display at Tuesday’s ribbon cutting.

“Seeing the joy on these women and men’s faces, it really makes your day,” said Bob Carl, President of the Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce.

“America’s textile industry is closing the gap on competition,” Davenport said.

Carl recalled the late Ashland-native Frank Staudenmeier’s saying to describe the day, saying “He always said ‘It’s a great day in Schuylkill County,’ and he meant it each and every time, and today, he would think it’s a wonderful day in Schuylkill County, not only for Schuylkill County but for the Borough of Ashland and this great manufacturing setting.”

Ashland Mayor Ray Walacavage thanked Davenport and the company for locating in his borough.

“I think we’re fortunate to have a military contractor like Brigade Manufacturing locate in our community. It’s not only great news for the residents of Ashland but also for the people who would be employed here,” Walacavage said. “I think that Brigade Manufacturing will be a great asset to our town and also enhance the economic vitality of Schuylkill County.”

Walacavage described the loss of Gitman as “devastating.”

“When I saw the sign going up out there, it was like a revival, to me, for this town,” Walacavage said. “All of the small towns are hurting right now, and Ashland is one of them, but I think this is going to be a great asset for this community.”

County Commissioners Chairman Barron “Boots” Hetherington described the opening as “sentimental,” living in Union Township, part of the North Schuylkill School District along with Ashland, and having friends’ relatives who worked at Gitman.

“I deliver corn down to Wengers feed mill, so I go up and down the mountain here 50 or 60 times a year delivering corn, and the last few times, I saw fewer and fewer cars parked here every day, and it just bothered me to see this situation taking place,” Hetherington said. “Then I read about Mr. Holcombe and the folks coming in, and started to see the cars coming back in again, and the sign going up… The enthusiasm, to have this place going again… the smiles on the operators faces, as Bob said, it’s a great day in Schuylkill County.”

Several other dignitaries were on-hand for the ribbon cutting, including U.S. Representative Dan Meuser, members of Ashland Borough Council, and representatives from the Schuylkill Economic Development Corp., Schuylkill Technology Center, and representatives from Senator Argall’s office.

Following the ribbon cutting, tours were provided through the plant, showing the different processes involved in the plant.

Company officials said they’re currently making several variations of a USPS uniform shirt, and hope to add more products soon.

A few dozen people were working during the tours, and the company hopes the amount of employees will continue to grow.

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Kaylee Lindenmuth

Kaylee Lindenmuth is a Shenandoah native with a passion for journalism and the community she calls home.

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