Some days are better than others. Some days you win. Some days you don’t. The best days are the “red letter days”, and the best of those are the days that bring along an entire community that will be positively impacted by the good news. That’s exactly what happened last Thursday morning at the Nordson Center in Swainsboro. Ken Warnock, CEO of the Emanuel County Joint Development Authority, in conjunction with a statement by Governor Brian Kemp, announced that Dongwon Auto Part Technology plans to locate a new production facility with an investment of $30 million in Emanuel County, along with a complement of 200 new jobs in the next several years. Sources said the new plant could also be supported by related follow-on production facilities in the future.
The announcement of Dongwon Auto Technology’s future move to Emanuel County is the result of planning, coordination and persistent attention to the needs and goals of the 55-year-old automotive components company. The recent announcement is a major achievement for Emanuel County. The process of bringing new businesses and jobs to our community is always competitive and often pits states against states and communities against one another as the contest goes forward in convincing companies to locate and bring their jobs to an area. Often this can involve many months or even years before a company makes a decision, and it falls to the local development authority members to continue working with representatives of the company to provide them with the information needed and interaction required to create a sense of partnership with the local area. Heather Hollstein, Human Resources Manager of Dongwon Auto commented, “Thank you to Emanuel County for welcoming us. We remain committed to excellence, and we are proud to be part of growing the state’s automotive industry.” Any successful effort requires cooperation, and that is especially true in this circumstance. Beyond our local development authority members, our appreciation goes to Representative Butch Parrish, Chairman of the Rules Committee, of the House of Representatives who was instrumental in assisting at the State level, Will Donaldson, Joint Development Chairman and Ken Warnock, CEO of the Emanuel County Development Authority.
Many times, the Development Authority must act with confidentiality and sometimes that can be misinterpreted. Industrial recruitment is a polite form of warfare. There are several occasions in the past where we have lost prospects to other areas because of a lack of co-ordination with everyone involved. This time cooperation and co-ordination paid off. Now it is important that we understand the vital role we can play as the host community in doing all we can to ensure the success of this newest addition to our manufacturing family. Not only should our local labor force be prepared and responsive as the various phases of this project go forward, it is also our responsibility to provide whatever we can in terms of supporting this new employer and new member of our business community. The positivity and enthusiasm displayed by a community toward any new project, especially one of this size, can play a major role in the satisfaction and suitability of all concerned as well as the possibility for future prospects and continued growth. Obviously, this attitude is essential for our local governments and the various government services involved.
Our community has been afforded an amazing opportunity through the efforts of hard work and dedication by a group of forward-thinking community leaders. We deserve the celebration. Now, it is the task of us all to make sure this opportunity is all that we can make it. The potential is there. Together, we can make sure this “red letter day” always retains that designation going forward.
