5 0 ▁new ▁jobs . ▁Bur ke ▁County ▁and ▁the ▁town ▁of ▁H ilde b ran ▁approved ▁a ▁ 5 ▁percent ▁match ▁to ▁the ▁state ▁grant . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁G ild an ▁Active we ar ▁announced ▁its ▁$ 5 5 ▁million ▁purchase ▁of ▁P ED S . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁G ild an ▁Active we ar ▁Inc . ▁announced ▁its ▁plans ▁to ▁close ▁the ▁operation ▁in ▁H ilde b ran ▁and ▁lay ▁off ▁all ▁of ▁its ▁manufact uring ▁and ▁distribution ▁workers . ▁ ▁US ▁In vest ment ▁ ▁With ▁its ▁invest ment ▁in ▁IL G , ▁P ED S ▁Leg we ar ▁became ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁reb irth ▁of ▁the ▁American ▁manufact uring ▁sector , ▁which ▁had ▁sust ained ▁severe ▁losses ▁during ▁the ▁Great ▁Rec ession , ▁particularly ▁in ▁the ▁text ile ▁industry . ▁On ▁March ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 1 5 , ▁the ▁company ▁opened ▁a ▁new ▁$ 1 6 ▁million ▁manufact uring ▁facility ▁in ▁H ilde b ran ▁that ▁is ▁project ed ▁to ▁create ▁more ▁than ▁ 2 0 5 ▁jobs ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁This ▁invest ment ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Select USA ▁program ▁of ▁the ▁US ▁Department ▁of ▁Com merce . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁P ED S ▁has ▁been ▁c ited ▁as ▁an ▁example ▁of ▁how ▁foreign ▁invest ment ▁can ▁save ▁and ▁create ▁American ▁manufact uring ▁jobs . ▁Pen ner ▁was ▁invited ▁by ▁President ▁Bar ack ▁Ob ama ▁to ▁talk ▁about