Velcro Companies plans to move textile manufacturing from its Queen City site to its production facility in Somersworth but is committed to remaining in New Hampshire, the company told NH Business Review.
Velcro, which has operated in Manchester for nearly 70 years, is the only U.S. manufacturer of textile hook and loop fasteners, a product with broad consumer and industrial applications. The company opened the Somersworth plant about 25 years ago.
“We’re very early in a multiyear project,” said Mark Elliott, director of internal and corporate communications for Velcro, in an April 13 email. “The company plans to maintain its North American headquarters in Manchester at 95 Sundial Avenue, including a critical manufacturing site, research and development lab, and offices.”
Elliott said no workers have been laid off as a result of the consolidation but that jobs will be affected by the change. The company employs about 400 people in Manchester and nearly 200 in Somersworth.
“Employees affected by this decision may be considered for positions in Manchester and Somersworth,” Elliott said.
“While we’re still very early in this process, and there have been no changes, we have made the decision to consolidate our Manchester Building 1 textiles manufacturing into our existing Somersworth facility,” he said.
“We will maintain our manufacturing footprint in New Hampshire in Manchester Building 3 and Somersworth as well as our offices and research and development lab in Manchester Building 2.”
Velcro has not publicly announced the changes, but its workforce has been aware of them for several months.
“We communicated with our employees and key community and state stakeholders late last year,” Elliott said.
Velcro opened its first U.S. manufacturing plant in Manchester in 1957. (Velcro Companies)
The federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act, which generally applies to private employers with 100 or more employees, requires companies to provide 60 days’ notice for plant closings or mass layoffs affecting 50 or more employees at a single site.
The New Hampshire Department of Labor has not received any notices of layoffs at Velcro, said John W. Garrigan, general counsel for the department, in an email on Thursday.
Joseph Doiron, director of workforce opportunity for the state Department of Business and Economic Affairs, said his office was aware of Velcro’s plans, a transition expected to occur between mid-2026 and the end of 2027.
“While this change will impact employees at the 95 Sundial Avenue location, we recognize the company’s commitment to developing a comprehensive transition plan, including expanded employment opportunities in Somersworth and supportive measures such as retention incentives, severance, benefits and outplacement services,” Doiron said in a statement.
“This transition also underscores the critical importance of early engagement with the Office of Workforce Opportunity,” he said.
“When businesses partner with workforce systems at the earliest stages of planning, it allows for more proactive support — connecting affected employees to training, career counseling and job placement services before disruptions occur. Early coordination helps ensure workers have clear pathways to new opportunities and minimizes gaps in employment.”
In 2017, Velcro laid off 100 workers in Manchester and Somersworth, citing a slowdown in its business in North America. The global company operates manufacturing plants and distribution centers all over the world.
The current uncertainty about tariffs enacted by the Trump administration was not a factor in the New Hampshire changes, Elliott said.
“Our global supply chain team is working tirelessly to mitigate challenges that arise from the evolving economic environment,” Elliott said. “As the only U.S. manufacturer of textile hook and loop (products), we are uniquely positioned to serve our U.S. customers. Given that we have a local for local supply chain strategy, we are not seeing a significant impact from tariffs.”
Velcro products are displayed on the company’s website. Velcro said it plans to consolidate its textile manufacturing in Manchester to its Somersworth plant.
Likewise, he said artificial intelligence did not play a role in the consolidation plans in Manchester.
“While we have begun to explore and implement artificial intelligence into some of our workstreams, we view it as an asset to support our people in their work through improved insights, intelligence and productivity,” he said.
Swiss electrical engineer George de Mestral was inspired to create the hook and loop fasteners in 1941 while taking a walk through the woods, according to a history posted on the Velcro website. “He discovered the cocklebur is comprised of hundreds of tiny hooks that cling tenaciously to fabrics and animal fur.”
Velcro S.A. was formed in Switzerland in 1951 by de Mestral, Alfred Gonet, Andre-Louis Burnier and Jean Michaud. The company obtained additional patents in Germany.
Velcro opened its first U.S. manufacturing plant in Manchester in 1957, attracted by the city’s manufacturing legacy: “Manchester, New Hampshire, was home to some of the best textile workers in the world.”
The global hook and loop market is valued at $2.82 billion and projected to reach $4.27 billion by 2035, with a compound annual growth rate of 4.7% from 2026 to 2035, according to a report by Business Research Insights. About 42% of the market comes from the footwear and fashion sectors.
Since Velcro’s patent expired in 1958, the company has competed with other global companies. Among its top competitors are 3M Company, based in St. Paul, Minnesota; YKK Group, based in Japan; and Aplix S.A., based in France.
While the company no longer has a lock on the patent, it has taken great pains over the years to protect its brand, which is separately trademarked in almost every country in the world, according to Velcro Companies.
In 2017, Velcro began producing a series of comical music videos designed to remind consumers not to confuse its products with other hook and loop fasteners.
“Don’t Say Velcro” has generated 1.2 million views on YouTube.
“There is a lot of risk associated with protecting a brand legally, and different brands have different risks,” Alexandra DeNeve, an intellectual property attorney who helps enforce trademarks for Velcro Companies, told the New Hampshire Union Leader in 2018.