World emblem expands manufacturing to the Dominican Republic

Santiago de los Caballeros.- American company World Emblem, specializing in personalized patches and emblems, has begun expanding its operations to the Dominican Republic. This move is aimed at counteracting the impact of tariffs imposed during the Trump administration and optimizing its global cost structure. With over 1,200 employees worldwide, the company plans to double its size in the next five years without significantly increasing its workforce, according to COO Jim Kozel.

The new manufacturing facility will be located in a free trade zone in Santiago, focusing on producing blanks—base materials for customized products. This shift will allow World Emblem to avoid additional U.S. tariffs, as blanks were not previously produced in Mexico. The Dominican Republic’s favorable business environment, free trade zone benefits, and its trade surplus with the U.S. make it an attractive location for U.S.-bound manufacturing.

In addition to physical expansion, World Emblem is investing in artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to enhance productivity and efficiency. These technologies aim to increase output without adding to the workforce. The company’s adoption of continuous improvement methodologies is expected to result in a 12% increase in efficiency this year. The company also digitized its designs to enable decentralized production in case of disruptions in U.S. or Canadian plants.

World Emblem’s new Dominican Republic plant represents a strategic move to consolidate a more agile and cost-effective supply chain amid global trade uncertainties. The company’s annual production of 250 million items serves high-profile clients like Levi’s, Cintas, and New Era.