In the biggest Chinese investment ever in Tennessee, the foam products manufacturer Sinomax Group said Tuesday it will build a $28 million manufacturing plant in La Vergne and create 350 jobs in Davidson County.

Sinomax is the third Chinese manufacturer to announce plans for production facilities in Tennessee in the past four months. Collectively, the Chinese firms are planning to hire nearly 900 workers for the Tennessee plants and spur hundreds of other construction and support jobs.

"Through our new facility in La Vergne, we will be able to better serve our North American customers with our diverse offerings of high quality foam bedding products," Frank Chen, president and CEO of Sinomax USA, said in a statement. "We anticipate significant growth as demand for localized manufacturing continues. We chose the Nashville area for its pro-business environment, its talented workforce and its welcoming spirit."

Sinomax has been designing and manufacturing memory foam products, including mattresses, mattress toppers and pillows, for more than 15 years. The company's products are sold at many retailers throughout the U.S. under various national and private-label brands.

The announcement of Sinomax's decision to locate in Davidson County is the second in as many weeks of a major Chinese manufacturer planning to open a facility in Middle Tennessee. Last week, Wonderful Group announced plans to invest $150 million in a Lebanon tile production facility and create 220 new jobs in Wilson County.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam welcomed Sinomax to the Volunteer State and said the company's choice of Tennessee "brings us one step closer toward our goal of becoming the No. 1 location in the Southeast for high quality jobs."

In July, Yanfeng Automotive Interiors announced plans to build a $55 million facility in Chattanooga that will employ 325 workers and help supply the Chattanooga Volkswagen plant, which is undergoing a $600 million expansion to produce a sports utility vehicle for the American market by 2017.

Contact Dave Flessner at dflessner@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6340.

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