FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 16, 2015) – A company looking to establish itself as a national leader in men's formalwear rentals will open a facility in Louisville. Governor Steve Beshear and Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer today announced a Generation Tux distribution and customer service facility in Jeffersontown.
Generation Tux, which provides rentals of tuxedos and other men's clothing items and accessories, will create 80 jobs and invest $7.5 million into the project.
"We welcome Generation Tux to the Commonwealth in what is sure to be an exciting opportunity," said Gov. Beshear. "With Kentucky a day's drive from more than two-thirds of the U.S. population and the state boasting nearly 400 logistics companies employing 50,000 people, it's no wonder Generation Tux cited Louisville's geographic location as a deciding factor in locating its distribution facility here. With 150 new industry projects totalling $800 million in new investment over the past five years, I am proud to announce Generation Tux as the latest in a long line of forward-thinking endeavors."
The logistics of doing business in Kentucky include access to a wide range of distribution opportunities. The Commonwealth has 19 interstates and major highways and five commercial airports, as well as dozens of regional airports across the state. UPS Worldport at the Louisville International Airport, the world's largest fully automated package handling facility, will be a valuable resource to Generation Tux. UPS Worldport handles 130 aircraft daily and processes an average of 1.5 million packages a day.
"Generation Tux is just the type of innovative e-commerce company Louisville is looking to attract. With our central location, world-class UPS Worldport headquarters and our thriving Logistics and e-Commerce sector, Louisville has the environment that will help George Zimmer's new company succeed," said Mayor Fischer. "In addition, because of their tech and coding needs, we are proud to announce that we have partnered Generation Tux with Code Louisville to mentor students and grow their software talent locally."
Generation Tux is an e-commerce tuxedo rental business that allows customers to purchase rentals anywhere in the country online or via mobile devices. With the opening of the new distribution and customer service facility, the company expects to revolutionize the formalwear rental industry in the U.S. with a number of proprietary strategies that involve high-tech solutions. The company will incorporate a state-of-the-art cleaning facility in its fulfillment center, which will utilize 100 percent green and environmentally friendly equipment and processes.
"Generation Tux is a customer-centric tuxedo and suit rental experience," said George Zimmer, founder and CEO. "Our state-of-the-art and centrally-located warehouse in Louisville allows us to keep an unparalleled inventory and guarantee on time delivery to customers nationwide. We're thrilled to be joining the Louisville business community."
"In addition to our logistics operations, we've recently expanded our tech group, from the hub of technology in the Silicon Valley to the hub of our business here in Kentucky," added Matt Howland, chief technology officer. "We're excited to continue building our software engineering team in Louisville with talented folks from the local community."
Generation Tux is a subsidiary of zTux Inc., which was founded by Zimmer, who is also the founder and former CEO of Men's Wearhouse.
"We are excited about the new investment in our community by zTux Inc.," said Sen. Paul Hornback, of Shelbyville. "To add 50-80 new jobs over the next three years is great news for Louisville and surrounding areas. We welcome zTux with open arms and we appreciate all those who played a part in attracting this new business to our state."
"The success of United Parcel Service's global distribution center shows the importance of Louisville as a central location for the nation and the world for the shipment of a variety of products both inside and outside Kentucky," said Rep. Jerry Miller, of Louisville. "zTux joins UPS and other companies that depend on our outstanding workforce to move their products to all areas of the U.S. and the world."
"zTux Inc. has been preparing their Jeffersontown facility for several months. We are thrilled to be able to announce George Zimmer's new internet-based company, Generation Tux, is now ready to fully ramp up and change the way men's formalwear is accessed," said Jeffersontown Mayor Bill Dieruf. "Few people in the country have the expertise in men's clothing as Zimmer, and I have no doubt his latest endeavor will be a huge success."
To encourage the investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) preliminarily approved the company for tax incentives up to $1,000,000 through the Kentucky Business Investment program. The performance-based incentive allows a company to keep a portion of its investment over the term of the agreement through corporate income tax credits and wage assessments by meeting job and investment targets.
In addition, Generation Tux is eligible to receive resources from the Kentucky Skills Network. Through the Kentucky Skills Network, companies are eligible to receive no-cost recruitment and job placement services, reduced-cost customized training and job training incentives. Last year, the Kentucky Skills Network trained more than 84,000 employees from more than 4,100 Kentucky companies.
For more information on Generation Tux, visit www.generationtux.com or join the conversation on social media with #GENTUX.
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