Hanesbrands Inc. is opening a 340,000-square-foot distribution center in High Point to support and distribute its Champion brand of products – something that adds to a string of recent business recruitment successes for High Point and Guilford County.

According to Carole Crosslin, a spokeswoman for the company, the center will focus mainly on men’s athletic apparel.

Loren Hill, president of the High Point Economic Development Corp., said it’s nice to see Hanesbrands showing Guilford County some love.

“They have lots of operations in Forsyth County,” Hill said, adding that he was glad to see this foray across the county line.

“They’re taking a building that was occupied by Ralph Lauren,” he said.

Hanesbrands, which is based in Winston-Salem, has about 2,500 employees in Forsyth County. The company plans to hire about 200 people for the new High Point distribution center, which is expected to open in January at 4190 Eagle Hill Dr.

The company announced in its most recent earnings report that it was planning to make “incremental inventory investment to support accelerating Champion growth.”

Hanesbrands has 43 distribution centers – 14 in the US and 29 in other countries. In North Carolina, it has a 900,000-square-foot distribution center in Rural Hall.

The Champion line has become a focal point for Hanesbrands in recent years. The company has spent $228 million to reacquire Champion Europe and $30 million for the rights to Champion in Japan.

Company officials say they expect the Champion line to continue to have strong growth.

According to a release from the company, the deal in High Point was brokered by William Woltz at Triad Commercial Properties.