Print this story |
E-mail story |
This story has 6 comments Add your own |
iPod friendly | Bookmark this
What is this?
Best jobs are homegrown
Published Saturday, December 12, 2009
Steve Stewart
This community’s industrial-development strategy in recent years has focused largely on its affiliations with regional and state organizations that court jobs for Virginia.
There’s no harm in those relationships, and with all of the media and political attention on International Paper Co.’s decision to close its Franklin mill, the odds are good that the state and regional guys will throw us a bone or two. They’d be remiss not to recognize the incredibly skilled — and available — workforce in Western Tidewater and steer some prospective employers our way.
Chasing smokestacks and warehouses from elsewhere can’t be the extent of the economic-development effort, however. The risk of coming up empty is too high.
Any effective industrial-development strategy must emphasize growing our own manufacturing jobs — jobs that will be less vulnerable to the whims of corporate giants and to hiccups in the global economy.
Indeed, a look back at this community’s industrial economy over the past century shows that the best, most stable jobs were those created by local investors — people who were smart, had a sound business concept, applied their own ingenuity and elbow grease, and built their businesses from the ground up, all the while being responsible corporate citizens who gave much back to the community that nourished them.
Camp Manufacturing is the best example, of course. For more than a century, it — and its successors — anchored the economy of Western Tidewater.
Franklin Equipment is another. For a half-century, the Drake family employed hundreds of local workers, paid them good wages, developed a product that became an icon in the forestry industry and contributed untold dollars and volunteer hours back to the community. The ending was sad, but 46 years is a successful run by any measure.
Two smaller — but still homegrown —companies that continue to prosper are Feridies Inc. and Hubbard Peanut Co.
On the other hand, name four employers that economic developers with the state of Virginia or Hampton Roads helped recruit to Western Tidewater. I can’t do it. Perhaps others can.
The point is that this community must look after itself.
A chunk of the hundreds of thousands of dollars that local governments and private foundations spend annually on economic development should be invested directly in the creation of local manufacturing jobs. This could take several forms. Most feasible would be an enterprise pool of money for planning grants and low-interest loans to local entrepreneurs.
The brainpower in this community — working and retired engineers, keen financial minds, strategic planners and human-resource professionals, to name a few — is impressive. Many more have moved away and become successful elsewhere but still love their hometown and care about its economic well-being. Imagine if that collective talent were unleashed behind a sound manufacturing concept. Many people of means would welcome the opportunity to invest in the future of the community they love.
And they would be much more loyal to Western Tidewater than would some outside company that could take jobs away as quickly as it creates them.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO SHARE THIS STORY?
Comments
Posted by Timberlake (anonymous) on December 12, 2009 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
This sounds so logical and is what we need in communities across the nation....making things...... Starting from scratch takes incredible amounts of money, tax incentives, low but reasonable regulation and union involvement, supportive local government, use of natural resources, a skilled workforce and a GREAT idea for what is needed in our new economy. Those are a lot of ducks to get in a row.
Posted by grantsara83 (anonymous) on December 12, 2009 at 4:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Manufacturing in this country is dead. A carbon tax by our country and piggy backed by the UN, will ensure it's demise. If, however they fail to get this treaty passed, then draconian enviornmental regulations, will be issued by the EPA. These regulations, will effectively doom most of our remaining manufacturing capibility. The exception will be those government nationalized companies. Imports will be cheaper and enviornmentally more acceptable.
Posted by happy2 (anonymous) on December 12, 2009 at 4:57 p.m. (Suggest removal)
There have been several opportunites for other big businesses to come here, but city council for years has said no we don't want it we have IP that is enough. Now that bites! Should of, would of, could of!
Posted by allsites (Matthew (Matt) Peeler) on December 13, 2009 at 10:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
How can the US compete in a global market when it is cheaper to build things in East Asia, South East Asia, or South Asia? China has 1.1 billion people looking for jobs. The Chinese government established at least seven Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in their country that lures industries to their shores. They give special prices to leasing, lower taxes, no environmental concerns (think cap and trade here), no unions, no overhead for health insurance for workers, and a labor pool so needing work that they will work way below our minimum wage w/ no benifits. Compared to those who live in the heartland of China, these industry workers are filthy rich. Relatively speaking, the Chinese people are happy with these SEZs.
These products are then shipped to us and by necessity, we flock to our local Walmart and buy em. We almost have no choice. When you need shoes and have to pay the electric bill, you are not going to "buy American", your going to buy the cheapest shoes and put the remainder to living expenses. That is were many of us are today. The quality is not that much different anymore, since they are using our machines.
Yet how many of those jobs in Mexico and Asian countries used to be in this country? Why did they leave? What enabled them TO leave? What is encouraging more jobs to leave?
The various AFTAs, company profit margins, health insurance costs, taxes, overhead costs to the owner, salaries, unions, environmental considerations (double edged sword as many of these are justifiable yet are costly), just to name a few.
If Congress would impose tariffs on imported goods that neutralized many of the advantages these SEZ are using to lure our jobs, maybe the jobs would not move. Maybe build our own SEZs?
What this will do is increase the over all cost of goods in the short term until the job market neutralizes again.
However, within the current parameters, I envision only those industries where the product MUST be built here to stay open. Things like asphalt plants. Soon, thanks to farm equipment exports, places like China could start agricultural farming on a scale that might dwarf us. If Russia ever gets its act together, it has a farming belt that would put a serious dent in our agricultural dominance.
Our Congress has to start thinking US first. Closing the boarders will be a painful start, but the longer we wait to perform that step, the more pain we will have to endure until things neutralize.
It is easy to place blame, but hard to make choices. It is time to make the choice of America first and profit margins second.
Posted by bludogdem01 (anonymous) on December 13, 2009 at 10:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If we are ever going to compete, and regain some measure of economic stability, governmental agencies such as the EPA, will have to be replaced by more humane and realistic view points. The world, including western Europe, is laughing it's way to the bank, and depositing our money, while we simply look foolish. Vodoo science, that which is controlled by those who hand out taxpayer grants, requires nothing less, but strict adhereance to a predetermined enviornmental policy. Man destroying this earth, via its very lifestyle, is totally preposterous. Let,s enact those rules and regulations that have real scientific validity. Let's lead the world again.
Posted by chuck (anonymous) on December 15, 2009 at 2:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
If I recall correctly, Money Mailer, Southampton Terminal, and Narricot Industries all received assistance from the commonwealth's Economic Development Partnership.
Post a comment (Terms of Use Policy)
(Requires free registration.)