Helen of Troy will expand again in North Mississippi, CEO says

Enlarge Photo

Courtesy Helen of Troy Ltd.

Helen of Troy, a Texas-based manufacturer, could expand again in North Mississippi if its growth continues.

Ryan Poe

Staff writer- Memphis Business Journal

Email  |  Twitter

Helen of Troy Ltd. CEO Julien Mininberg on Friday said his company will continue growing in North Mississippi, where it's already spent roughly $82 million on two warehouses.

Mininberg, speaking at the DeSoto County Economic Development Council's annual membership luncheon, said the timing and size of an expansion of its shared warehouse facilities in Southaven and Olive Branch will depend on how quickly the company grows.

"When I said we're in, I wasn't kidding," he told the crowd. "We're not done yet."

The El Paso, Texas-based company has grown rapidly through expansions since 2003, and is on track to do $1.4 billion in sales in this fiscal year, said Mininberg, who became CEO earlier this year.

After the event, Mininberg said the company won't rule out putting a facility in Memphis or in a nearby area, but that DeSoto County "has been good to us." The company received substantial incentives from local municipalities and the state for the most recent expansion – a $37 million, 1.3 million-square-foot distribution facility in Olive Branch.

Between Helen of Troy's current facilities, the company already has 885 employees in DeSoto County and about 2.5 million square feet. Helen of Troy (NASDAQ: HELE) designs, develops and markets brand-name household and personal care products, including such well-known items as OXO-brand kitchenware, among others.

Ryan Poe covers commercial real estate; transportation and logistics; construction; and Downtown Memphis. Contact him at rpoe@bizjournals.com.