A Victory for S.C. Workers

This week’s major announcement that the Boeing Company would more than double its current investment in North Charleston was a major victory for South Carolina.

Here’s what we know, what businesses are learning, and what other parts of the country can’t seem to comprehend right now: South Carolina’s workers are extremely hard working, willing to learn, and want to manufacture products. We have proven with the quality produced by companies such as Michelin, BMW, and Bose that our workers can build the best products in the world.
Read more

Timken Selects Duncan, S.C., Facility in Spartanburg County for New Distribution Center

Company to add 100 area jobs in move to larger facility

The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR) today announced it has selected a 300,000 square-foot leased facility in the Spartanburg County community of Duncan, S.C., as the location of a new distribution center. Timken has committed to invest $3 million and bring 100 new jobs to the area, in addition to 50 associates already employed by the company at an existing distribution facility in Spartanburg, who will transfer to the new facility in the Spartan Green Business Park as the company begins to occupy the space in December.

“We are very pleased to expand our presence in Spartanburg County. Having a larger facility in the area provides significant customer service efficiencies,” said Chris Coughlin, president of Timken’s
process industries division. Coughlin noted that the opportunity to streamline distribution logistics became apparent through the company’s “Project O.N.E.” global business system and process-improvement initiative. “With much of our supply chain based in the Southeast, consolidating our distribution in the region will help us reduce movements between locations to serve customers more quickly. That also will make our operation leaner and greener.”

“Timken has a long history in South Carolina and this announcement further strengthens the company’s commitment to our state. Timken’s decision to expand its operations in Spartanburg County is a strong testament that our business-friendly climate, exceptional market access and skilled workforce are continuing to provide the tools existing businesses need to grow. We congratulate Timken in its
expansion and wish the company continued success in its endeavors here,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce of the State of South Carolina.

David Britt, chairman of Spartanburg County Council Economic Recruitment and Development, and board member of the Economic FuturesGroup, added, “We are excited by Timken’s continued investment and addition of 100 new jobs in Spartanburg County. The strategic decision to locate a distribution center here reinforces our cost effectiveness as a location accessible to 70 percent of the U.S. population from within two days’ truck transport.”

South Carolina State Representative Mike Forrester said, “This reaffirms the importance of our state’s port in the recruitment process and further positions Spartanburg as a logistics hub. In addition to the new jobs Timken will create, it is also important to note that by successfully recruiting this expansion in Spartanburg County, we also retained 50 existing jobs. During these trying economic times, job retention is just as important as job creation, and we are very pleased with Timken’s decision.”

About The Timken Company

The Timken Company (NYSE: TKR, http://www.timken.com) keeps the world
turning, with innovative friction management and power transmission
products and services, enabling our customers’ machinery to perform
more efficiently and reliably. With sales of $5.7 billion in 2008 and
operations in 26 countries, Timken is Where You Turn™ for better
performance.