1,000 Jobs Coming to Barnwell County

1,000 Jobs Coming to Barnwell County (Added: December 02, 2009)

A community that has been hit repeatedly with job losses got some good news Wednesday. One thousand new jobs are on the way to Barnwell County. WJBF News Channel 6?s Joy Howe has more. (more)

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A community that has been hit repeatedly with job losses got some good news Wednesday. One thousand new jobs are on the way to Barnwell County. WJBF News Channel 6’s Joy Howe has more.

By WJBF Staff
Published: December 02, 2009

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Williston, SC -- As State Representative Lonnie Hosey puts it, 'Christmas came early this year for Barnwell County.'

SC State Representative Lonnie Hosey, District 91: "I'm ready to sing jingle bells, jingle bells, because it's Christmastime here in Williston."

One thousand new jobs are on the way. Dixie Narco's parent company--Crane and Co.--has shut down its plant in St. Louis, Missouri, and will set up its headquarters in Williston, South Carolina.

Eric Fast, President & CEO, Crane and Co: "At the end of the day, the choice for us in south Carolina was a clear one.”

Governor Mark Sanford: "Ultimately the decision of Crane and Co. was the biggest of all compliments to the workforce of Barnwell County. I think that there is a value, and a clarity that comes with, the simplicity of life, at a slower pace in the countryside."

Wednesday morning, the Governor and many other state and local leaders offered their thanks and support for the opportunities on the way to a place that needs them.

Three plant closures in recent months in Barnwell County have left 800 out of work.

Pete Grady, Barnwell Economic Dev. Commission: "As you know, we've lost all the other jobs in the county, and this is kind of taking up some of that slack."

Most of the hiring will be done locally....a handful of St. Louis workers, like Matthew Winters, were transferred here.

Matthew Winters, Dixie Narco employee: “This whole situation, you just have to take the good with the bad, where there's good, there's also going to be bad, and unfortunately, somebody has to lose in this situation."

But this time, it's not Barnwell County losing jobs. Crane and Co.’s promise of $20 million and 1000 jobs for the vending machine business at Dixie Narco is a gift this community has been waiting for.

Rep. Hosey: "Things were looking so dim and dismal the last few months, and I just think things will be looking better from now on."

We’re told most of the 1000 new jobs will be local hires. The Williston Dixie Narco plant manufactures vending machines.