Salute to Humboldt Industry
from "Tennessee Connections", Spring 2001

In the last issue of "Service Lines" we highlighted the largest industry in Humboldt. Now, we would like to tell you a few things that you didn't know about the oldest industry in town, Jones Companies Ltd.

Jones Companies is built on the sound principles of leadership, partnership and service. Since 1936 this family owned and operated yarn spinning company has provided quality products to their customers and job security to their associates. The fabric of Jones' business is woven with the time-proven principles of leadership, partnership and service. Half a century ago, when the Jones family set their vision in motion, it was based on three simple points:

1) Treat people the way you would like to be treated
2) For a partnership with our co-workers, suppliers, customers and God
3) Our word will be our bond

The Jones partnership provides their customers with quality products at reasonable prices and extraordinary customer service. Likewise, they work equally as hard to provide their associates with a wage and benefit package that provides financial security; health, dental, and life insurance; educational scholarships; and comprehensive retirement benefits.

Humboldt is the home of the corporate office and four yarn spinning plants. Jones also operates spinning plants in both Milan and Covington, as well as batting manufacturing plants in Memphis and Morristown. The Jones Companies spinning plants are capable of manufacturing 1,000,000 pounds of yarn in a five-day work week. If this poundage was a single strand of yarn it would long enough to surround the earth over 20 times. This makes Jones one of the nation's largest spinners of course-count yarn.

The past has prepared Jones for their present success as well as tomorrow's opportunities. They are constantly looking into the future...creating new and better methods of spinning to provide their customers with superior quality products and likewise their associate base with job security. While the rest of the country is just waking up to recycling, for Jones it's been the natural thing to do for over 60 years. Jones spins virtually every combination of fibers to produce yarns to meet customer needs. Due to the variety of spinning techniques and fibers, they create yarns that service a wide range of markets, including commercial and consumer mops, conveyor belting, draw string, home furnishing yarns, and string knit glove yarns.

The individuals that make up the Jones Team are the lifeblood of the company, and they are key participants in the working partnership of the organization. In the fall of 1998 Jones Companies became ISO 9002 Certified. This quality certification could not have been achieved without the efforts of all associates working together.

"Jones Companies has always appreciated our partnership with Humboldt Utilities", said Ralph Jones III, President. "We depend on each other and understand the importance of a good working relationship. Jones is proud to be in Humboldt. It is more than just a strategic location, it is our home."