GRETNA - Capps Shoe Company, headquartered in Lynchburg, has been awarded a five-year contract valued at more than $25 million to produce shoes for the Army and Marines.

The men's dress poromeric shoes will be made at the Gretna Capps plant on Industrial Drive in Gretna.

Requests for bids were posted and Capps was selected among four bidders.

“This is very good news for us,” said Olen Wilson, vice president of manufacturing. “We are very happy to get this contract.”

The shoes are constructed of man-made materials and worn by servicemen and women. Military shoes are made from domestically produced products.

The Gretna plant takes the shoe through the entire manufacturing process.

The Gretna Capps plant opened in 1998 and has 120 employees.

The new contract is expected to increase the workforce at Gretna by adding 10 to 30 employees before the end of January.

Also located on the Gretna plant site is a shoe outlet store featuring a selection of name brand shoes produced by Capps.

By SUSAN WORLEY/Chathm Star-Tribune Staff Writer