New Era Boosts NFL Hat Production In New York After Bills Deal, Plans To Add Jobs

New Era yesterday announced its "first big run of NFL hats -- 100,000 of them -- at its plant" in Derby, N.Y., less than two weeks after the company "confirmed it was putting its name" on the Bills stadium, according to Matt Glynn of the BUFFALO NEWS. New Era President & CEO Christopher Koch said that the local factory has "made NFL hats in the past, but in smaller quantities." New Era said that it "expects to add 17 jobs at the plant by year's end to help support larger production of NFL caps." Koch said that the NFL work "also helps secure the 250 jobs the manufacturing site already has." Koch: "This product collection is the first significant run of NFL caps we’re doing here, and I’m very optimistic it won’t be the last." Glynn notes the brand has been the NFL's "official sideline cap" since '12. Koch said that New Era is "looking for ways to bring a 'fashion element' into the NFL hats it makes" (BUFFALO NEWS, 8/30).