Last summer, Xu made another radical, creative, and unexpected move: She opened Chesapeake Bay’s first domestic manufacturing facility right here in the Free State.
Xu invested millions to renovate a nearly 120,000-square-foot warehouse space in Glen Burnie and patiently navigated delays and red tape in order to get the facility up and running. At full capacity, the factory produces 16,000 candles per day.
But why open a factory in Maryland when so many other companies keep production of their goods in Asia?
“Because of the economy, the labor costs of Asia, and the response time of what customers demand,” explains Xu. “Being in Asia means that you cannot respond [to product demand] until six weeks later, but if you are here in Maryland, you can respond in two weeks.”
Chesapeake Bay still maintains a Chinese factory that produces items such as reed diffusers. The company also operates two factories in Vietnam that produce artisanal, handmade candle products. But with the company’s North American headquarters already in Rockville, the Glen Burnie facility is a welcomed local addition.
The factory will eventually employ more than 100 workers, making it one of the largest employers in Anne Arundel County. Ideally, these new jobs will create a domino effect as the new employees boost retail and restaurant sales across the county.
“In the end,” says Xu, “we will end up benefiting, as well as our customers.”
And Maryland will benefit, too: Each candle produced here boasts a “Made in Glen Burnie” label.
Chesapeake Bay candles are sold at specialty stores and major retailers across the country. For more information, visit www.chesapeakebaycandle.com.
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