HOUSTON -- Hundreds of people lined up at a north Houston mall, hoping to land more than 1,000 new jobs being offered by a Houston company during a job fair, KPRC Local 2 reported Thursday.

Standing in intense heat, hundreds of job seekers waited up to three hours to attend the job fair at Greenspoint Mall, which was sponsored by CHI USA Manufacturing Company, which makes hair products.

"It was OK till we hit the sun -- hot, hot, hot," Jean Marie Hooker said.

The company plans to hire more than 1,200 people within the next year.

Laura Sable said it is the best news she has heard since losing her job months ago.

"I have a mortgage to pay and I'm looking for work and can't be on unemployment forever," Sable said.

The company said it is offering jobs at all levels with good benefits.

It sounds promising for Stephen Stebbins, who was laid off as an engineer.

"I'm hoping to find something to match my skills. I'm willing to go down in the ladder and just start there. I just want to work," Stebbins said.

Houston Mayor Bill White helped cut the ribbon for the company's new headquarters and manufacturing plant.

He said it's a big boost to Houston's economy.

"It's really great, especially in a down economy, where you have somebody expanding employment and bringing jobs to the United States," White said.

Farouk Shami is the company's founder. He started his career as a hairdresser. Now his products are sold around the world.

An immigrant who started with very little, Shami said his success gives him a chance to give back.

"As Texans, as Americans, as good citizen, as manufacturers, as good business people, we want to bring business back to the place it belongs," he said.

Shami said his company is committed to operating a green company that is environmentally friendly.

The job fair ended at 4 p.m.

To find out which jobs are still available, visit www.farouk.com/jobs.