Former banker revives shuttered US mill, now supplies military uniforms

Jacob Harrison Long's transition from investment banking to textile manufacturing began in 2014 when he acquired a 475,000-square-foot wool mill in Connecticut that had closed the previous year, displacing 85 workers. Despite lacking any background in manufacturing, Long purchased the struggling facility and set about restoring operations.

Over the past 12 years, Long has successfully transformed the mill into a functioning operation that has secured a significant contract to supply fabric for US military uniforms. The revived facility currently employs approximately 50 people, though this remains below the workforce levels prior to the 2013 closure.

Long's success in resurrecting the Connecticut mill has sparked broader ambitions for the region. He is now pursuing plans to expand textile manufacturing operations across New England, signalling potential opportunities for job creation in an industry that has faced considerable headwinds from overseas competition.

The mill's recovery represents a rare reversal of the decline that has characterised much of America's domestic textile sector in recent decades, demonstrating the viability of strategic reinvestment in regional manufacturing infrastructure.