Blauer Manufacturing, which makes clothing and protective wear for police, will be leaving Lafayette County in summer of 2019.

According to a release from the Mississippi Development Authority, Blauer will leave its location on Lafayette Park Drive in Oxford for Batesville in order to pursue expansion.

Blauer has been in Lafayette County since 1997 and currently employs 150 employees. Employees based in Lafayette County will be offered a lateral move to Panola County.

“We are excited to showcase the Blauer brand with an appealing presence directly on Interstate I-55. The newly renovated building is double the size of our existing building with plenty of room to expand,” Blauer Manufacturing President Michael Blauer said in the release. “Thank you to all the wonderful people of Mississippi for your support over the last 40 years. We look forward to a bright future.”

Blauer will move to a building that was formerly owned by Batesville Casket Company, which is visible from I-55.

Blauer will invest $2.4 million in the move, and plans to hire 125 new employees. According to the Associated Press, the state will give Blauer $500,000 for building renovations and $300,000 for workforce training.

“Blauer is a valued member of North Mississippi’s business community,” Bryant said in a release. “The company’s decision to grow and create so many more jobs is a strong indicator of the success Blauer and other manufacturing companies enjoy in our state as a result of a supportive business climate and the best workforce in the nation.”

Panola County is providing a 10-year property tax reduction to support the factory.