December 9, 2009

Poll: Southerners Favor Federally Funded Programs to Create Jobs

The Winthrop Poll is a long-term survey initiative designed to keep public policy makers across the country in touch with the attitudes and opinions of citizens of the American South. Trained interviewers administer the polls at the telephone survey research lab on the campus of Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C. The 2009 survey included 866 random interviews of people 18 or older in several Southern states. This year's survey revealed some surprising and conflicting data, such as:

* 71.6 percent favor the federal government funding new programs to help create jobs
* 62.7 percent favor the federal government giving aid to states in serious financial trouble
* 28.1 percent favor giving aid to U.S. banks and other financial institutions
* 35.0 percent of Southerners polled said that the economic stimulus has made the economy better, 37.9 percent said it had no effect and 20.6 percent said it has made the economy worse
* 41.1 percent said they were not concerned about losing their jobs, 20.7 percent were not very concerned, 21.7 percent were concerned and only 16.2 percent were very concerned.
* As for who is to blame for the recent economic crisis, here are the figures from the "blame a great deal" category: Banks: 47.8 percent; Large business corporations: 46.8 percent; Consumer debt: 42.5 percent; The Bush administration: 39.1 percent; The Obama administration: 17.9 percent.

Almost a Clean Sweep for the South in Business Climate Rankings

Site Selection magazine recently published its annual state business climate rankings and this year eight of the 10 states with the best business climates are Southern states. North Carolina topped the magazine's list followed by Texas, Virginia, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky. The only other U.S. states making the top 10 were Ohio and Indiana. The ranking was based on a survey of corporate real estate executives.

Forbes: Virginia No. 1 for Business

For the fourth consecutive year, Forbes.com has named Virginia as the "Best State for Business" overall. Forbes' methodology uses gross state product, quality of life, labor and regulatory environments, workforce, educational attainment and cost of doing business among other factors to determine its best states for business. Virginia was followed by Washington, Utah, Colorado, North Carolina, Georgia, North Dakota, Texas, Nebraska and Oregon rounded out the top 10 list.  In Forbes’ sub-rankings, Texas was named the top U.S. state for “Economic Climate” and Georgia was named the No. 1 “Regulatory Environment.”

Mitsubishi Locating $100 Million Wind Turbine Plant in Arkansas

Mitsubishi Power Systems Americas (MPSA), a subsidiary of Lake Mary, Fla.-based Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd., announced in the fall its intentions to build a $100 million wind turbine manufacturing facility in Fort Smith, Ark. The project could employ as many as 400 people. The company will locate the plant in a new 200,000-square-foot facility at Fort Chaffee, near Fort Smith, occupying 90 acres. MPSA currently has more than 4,500 wind turbines in operation worldwide, with 3,000 in the U.S.

Bourbon Maker Expanding in Kentucky

Beam Global Spirits and Wine will expand it operations in Kentucky. A longstanding first family of Bourbon, the Jim Beam distilleries in Frankfort and Clermont, Ky., will begin production of DeKuyper cordials and other spirits currently bottled outside of Kentucky. The $28 million deal will create 120 new jobs.  

CenturyLink Adding 350 New Jobs in Louisiana

CenturyLink, a Fortune 500 company headquartered in Monroe, La., announced in late November that it will keep its headquarters in Louisiana and create 350 new jobs. In July, Louisiana-based CenturyTel acquired Kansas-based EMBARQ to form CenturyLink. Since the merger, Louisiana officials have been working with the company in effort to keep its headquarters in Louisiana.

Toyota to Produce RAV4 Engines in W.Va.

In the fall quarter, Toyota Motor Corp. announced it will produce about 2,000 RAV4 six-cylinder engines a month at its plant in Buffalo, W.Va. The West Virginia plant also produces four-cylinder engines for the Toyota Corolla and Matrix and six-cylinder engines for the Highlander, Sienna and Lexus RX-350 models.

Aerospace Business Expanding in Rural Mississippi

Alliant Techsystems (ATK) announced in November that Airbus SAS and its partners Aerolia SA, Premium Aerotec GmbH and Spirit AeroSystems, have selected the company to produce composite structures and tooling for its next-generation A350 XWB (Xtra Wide Body) aircraft. Total expected revenues for ATK amount to approximately $1 billion in the deal. The company will produce the composite components at its composite manufacturing center of excellence in Iuka, Miss. At peak production, ATK could produce up to 25 miles of A350 XWB composite components per month. No job announcements at the ATK plant in Mississippi have been announced.

Hemlock Semiconductor Breaks Ground on $1.2 Billion Tennessee Plant

Hemlock Semiconductor, LLC, celebrated the beginning of construction at its recently developed site in Clarksville, Tenn. on November 12. The $1.2 billion, 500-employee plant will produce polycrystalline silicon for the solar industry.

Alpha Natural Resources Building HQ in Bristol, Va.

Alpha Natural Resources announced in the fall quarter it will build its new corporate headquarters in Bristol, creating 69 jobs and retaining 131 jobs. The company, which operates more than 60 coal mines in Appalachia, is investing $17.5 million in the project.

Hitachi Automotive Expanding in Kentucky

In the fall quarter, Hitachi Automotive Products USA announced it will expand its Harrodsburg, Ky. operation, adding a new fuel system production line to the plant. The expansion could also result in an additional product line for hybrid electric vehicles. Hitachi Automotive opened its Harrodsburg plant in 1986 and manufactures electromechanical automotive parts. The company's plant has grown from 40,000 to 400,000 square feet and this latest expansion will add 100 new workers to the payroll of 600.

Furniture Manufacturer Adds 20 Jobs in W.Va.

Mott Manufacturing recently celebrated the opening of its 30,000-square-foot headquarters and manufacturing plant in the Greenbrier Valley Airport Industrial Park in W.Va. Mott produces wood components in laboratory furniture used in hospitals and medical schools in the U.S. and Canada. 

Kia Hiring 1,200 More Workers in Georgia

Kia Motors, which opened its plant in West Point, Ga. in November, announced it will hire another 1,200 assembly line workers for a second production line that will be operational in early 2010. Currently, the Korean automaker employs about 2,500 workers at its new Georgia plant that rolled out its first Sorento cross-over vehicle in the fall quarter.

Elite Tools Expands in Missouri

Elite Tool has invested $2.3 million in a new facility in Moscow Mills, Mo. The manufacturing project will create 20 new jobs.

Hickory, N.C. Gains 400 New Jobs

Wisconsin-based Fiserv, Inc., a company that provides banks with technology related to online banking, mobile banking, processing and other services, announced in the fall quarter it will invest $4.9 million and create 400 new jobs in Hickory, N.C. The customer support project will move into a shell building that was available in the McDonald Crossing Business Park.

Recycling Company Plans New Plant, 700 Jobs in Oklahoma

Waste Not Technologies of Destin, Fla., will construct an industrial plant in Okmulgee, Okla., that will turn residential and commercial waste into a variety of products including plastic pallets and plastic railroad ties. Construction of the 800,000-square-foot facility on a 250-acre site is expected to start at the first of the year. The company calls for an initial eight-hour shift of 700 workers to handle 1,000 tons of trash a day, eventually expanding to three shifts and 1,400 workers processing 3,000 tons of garbage. The company will invest $150 million in the project.

Vifan USA Celebrates Expansion in Northeast Tennessee

In the fall quarter, Vifan USA completed the 130,000-square-foot expansion of its plant in Morristown, Tenn. The company had considered a $30 million project in China as opposed to the $70 million expansion of its Northeast Tennessee facilities. Vifan manufactures clear and metalized biaxial-oriented polypropylene, which is used primarily in the food packaging industry.

International Tobacco Announces $19.5M Investment in Rural Virginia

Japan Tobacco International announced plans in October to establish a tobacco processing facility in the City of Danville, Va. The company plans to process both flue-cured and burley tobacco in the U.S. and export the product under the name of JTI Leaf Services. By the time the company is fully operational, it will have invested $19.5 million with an employment of 39 full time people and 150 seasonal jobs in Danville.

Mohawk Industries Expanding in Small Town Alabama

Flooring giant Mohawk industries has announced plans to expand production of its Roanoke, Ala. carpet-backing plant. The company will add conversion and extrusion technology, which melts plastic to produce the synthetic material used to make the carpet backing. About 35 workers will be added to the 400 that work at the plant.

Vitro America Expanding in Mississippi

Memphis-based Vitro America is expanding its plant in Grenada, Miss. The company is consolidating the production of safety glass and storefront metal systems at its Granada plant. The $1.2 million investment in new equipment will create 20 new jobs. 

New Parts Supplier Picks Anniston, Ala.

Ohio-based Industry Products, Co. is setting up shop in Anniston, Ala. to supply the Honda plant in nearby Lincoln. The company's key product lines include water shields, trunk and cargo area systems and noise and vibration components. About 25 jobs will be created initially with the project.
 

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