OEM FABRICATORS COMING BECAUSE OF WORKFORCE
Monday, July 10th, 2006 -- 10:36 AM
OEM Fabricators Inc. announced last week they plan to expand their thriving business by constructing a 40- to 50,000 square-foot facility in Neillsville.OEM President and CEO Mark Tyler says the existing workforce ? many of whom lost their jobs when Cummins Inc. closed their muffler plant - was a big factor in their decision to expand here.
?I don?t want to make comments about Fleetguard or Cummins, but from all the investigating we?ve done, there?s an excellent group of people there that we're going to fit very well with, and we think are going to fit very well with us,? Tyler explains.
Understanding the closing of the West Plant may have some former workers leery, Tyler says the company will be very committed to staying in Neillsville.
?We're investing $9-million ? that?s not something you do if you?re not interested in a long-term relationship,? Tyler notes. ?We're a small, privately-held company. Decisions are made in the plants where the products are made.?
?Decisions are not made in some corporate environment in some faraway place.?
Neillsville?s Economic Development Commission will be discussing the OEM project when they meet Tuesday at 4 p.m.
A joint meeting of the Economic Development Commission, Planning Commission and the City Council didn?t result in any open session action last week.
We?ll be talking about the project with Neillsville Mayor Diane Murphy during Viewpoint on Thursday morning at 9 a.m.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.