US manufacturer of safety garments and accessories for the industrial protective clothing markets Lakeland Industries, Inc. is to close its Celaya, Mexico, manufacturing facility and is to open a new, larger facility in Jerez, Mexico.

The aim of the move is primarily to reduce the unit cost of its production as Jerez is said to present better labour, rental and transportation values than its current plant and the company believes it can realise savings of close to $500,000 annually once the move is fully implemented in August.

The new facility will double Lakeland’s production capacity in Mexico and will be used for specialty woven items that are not made in China due to high tariffs and or quotas imposed by customs departments in North and South America on Chinese-made goods.