Economic Resources Corporation takes pride in our long-standing commitment to our tenant partners that provide valuable services and resources in the local community.
Today, we are highlighting JP Sportswear, a local manufacturer of premium active apparel. ERC sat down with the company’s President, William Metscher at the Lynwood facility to discuss the value JP Sportswear brings to its employees, the community and the overall industry.
Tell us about JP Sportswear.
JP Sportswear was founded in 1979 and today, provides high-quality, direct-to-consumer sportswear and accessories to consumer brands. The company provides turnkey production services to well-established apparel companies, including those that are scaling up. We have state-of-the-art equipment that ensures precision, quality, and quick speed to market from product launch to continuous replenishment.
JP Sportswear believes in transparency throughout the process. As a local company, we are able to invite customers into our manufacturing facilities so they can see the process for themselves. If a manufacturer is overseas, a local customer would not have that level of ease to access the manufacturing plant where its merchandise will be made. We take pride in being able to operate and employ locally and as such, support our local economy.
What makes JP Sportswear different from other manufacturers?
It’s important that there are local and responsible manufacturers in the United States. That was evident during the height of the pandemic when products shipped from other countries were grounded because of supply chain issues. JP Sportswear shifted its operations during COVID-19 and produced essential personal protective equipment (PPE) including medical isolation gowns. This allowed our company to not only contribute to the critical needs of the healthcare community but also retain all of our employees throughout the crisis.
The company culture of JP Sportswear is grounded in several values including integrity, environmental sustainability and employee development. When we relocated JP Sportswear to our current Lynwood location, it was important that we located a facility that would be convenient to our employees who live and shop in this area and surrounding Los Angeles neighborhoods. We also worked with Economic Resources Corporation to ensure that our facilities are safe and comfortable for our dedicated staff. I was impressed by the security that drives around the industrial campus ensuring the safety of the tenants.
Also, it is important to me that our employees have amenities such as personal lockers, a large lounge area, well-lit workspaces, and food warmers so several employees can heat their food and eat together. I believe the quality of the work environment shows up in the quality of the products that are produced.
