Top 10 local manufacturer lines up $98 million expansion

A major West Tennessee employer is set to undergo a $97.7 million expansion, bringing 62 new jobs to Tipton County.

Charms, a division of Tootsie Roll Industries, plans to expand its Covington manufacturing plant and distribution center, which would push its total employment to about 500, according to a news release from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD).

“Charms and Tootsie Roll Industries have been valued partners to our state for more than 50 years, and today’s announcement is a testament to the diligent local leaders for bringing this expansion to fruition," said TNECD Commissioner Stuart McWhorter in the release. "It's an honor to announce Tipton County's first project since 2019.”

Charms' Tipton County investment is the first West Tennessee expansion announcement from the TNECD this year.

Charms has manufactured Blow Pops candy in Covington since 1973. The company has been owned by Tootsie Roll Industries since 1988. 

Charms ranked at No. 10 on MBJ's most recent list of the largest area manufacturing companies, with 440 local employees in March 2024.

“We are very excited about the opportunity to grow our presence in the [City] of Covington. We are extremely proud to be a part of this community and are looking forward to future growth together," said H.T. Davis, plant manager of the Charms facility, in the release. "This plant addition will enable us to expand our manufacturing operations and help us to better serve our customers.”