AST Sportswear Inc. in Brea plans to resume operations at the former American Apparel’s dyeing and finishing plant in Hawthorne in Los Angeles County, after acquiring its equipment in an auction.
AST is leasing a 95,000-square-foot facility that shut down earlier this year. The deal will enable the clothing manufacturer “to bring virtually all of its dyeing volume in-house,” creating about 120 jobs, according to AST.
“This will allow us to expand our product offering, streamline our supply chain, lower costs, and ensure better quality control,” Chief Operating Officer Abdul Rashid said in a statement.
AST, founded in 1995 and ranked No. 12 on the Business Journal list of the biggest apparel companies in Orange County, employs about 450, 250 of whom are in Brea.
It makes and distributes Bayside, “an American-made brand of fashion and basic apparel.” It also supplies T-shirts and other casual wear to U.S. distributors and screen printers.
An earlier version of this story said AST purchased the dyeing and finishing plant; Rashid later clarified AST is leasing the property.
