Mlily, a mattress and pillow brand owned by Healthcare Co. Ltd., based in Rugao, China, has opened a U.S. headquarters in Knoxville, Tennessee, and a plant and distribution center in Winnsboro, South Carolina.

The 10,000-square-foot headquarters of the entity known as Mlily USA houses the sales and marketing staff, product development team and a retail store. Its South Carolina factory and distribution center is 650,000 square feet. The plant currently employs 25 workers who assemble beds from components made at Healthcare’s manufacturing plants in Serbia and Thailand.

In the fourth quarter, when the U.S. plant will be fully operational, it will have foam-pouring capacity and employ as many as 250 people, company officials said. The on-site retail store is used to get immediate feedback from consumers to assist in product development.

“We’re making a significant investment here to grow our business in the United States and our Knoxville location will be a pivotal part of our growth,” said James Ni, Healthcare chair and chief executive officer. “(It) affords us the ability to seamlessly manage our operations here in the States. Our business model is working, and the combination of the plant and the headquarters will lead to even greater success in the U.S. market.”

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