It’s new jobs. Too bad Obama couldn’t spend $3 trillion to make this happen and all that was needed was private enterprise and capitalism.
Toombs County, famous as the center of Georgia’s Vidalia onion country, is about to get a new industry.
Chicken of the Sea International announced on Monday it plans to open a tuna canning plant in Lyons, investing $20 million and creating 200 jobs.
The company says it plans to begin operations in October at a 200,000-square-foot facility to process tuna and ship it throughout the country.
“State and local officials in Lyons presented us with a tremendous opportunity that ensures our ability to compete in the marketplace for the long term,” said Shue Wing Chan, president of Chicken of the Sea International.
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When I was a child in Gainesville , grew up 4 blocks from a chicken rendering plant, ah the smell and floating parts in the creeks.
Do we really want low quality jobs or is any job better than nothing.
“Star-Kist Caribe says it will lay off 1,500 employees (nearly half its workforce of 3,200) at its Mayaguez tuna processing plant, effective June 4, according to parent company H.J. Heinz Co., reports The San Juan Star (April 6, 1999):
Star-Kist Caribe general manager Alfred Archilla said the 1,500 jobs represented US$23.5 million in payroll (and average of US$15,800 per year per worker). Most of the jobs eliminated are associated with can manufacturing. “Countries like Thailand and Indonesia placed our payrolls at a disadvantage,”
How much did Georgia PAY for each job created?
“For every 100 Toombs females there were 91.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,811, and the median income for a family was $34,478. Males had a median income of $26,988 versus $18,051 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,252. About 17.80% of families and 23.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.80% of those under age 18 and 18.30% of those age 65 or over.
Now rural Georgia must price wages below western Puerto Rico to attract business. $7.50/hr is ~ $15k per year.
At least the 2,000 Hispanics and surplus women can bid for the 200 jobs.
So, this location will be referred to as……
Chicken of the Sea – Lyons ????
Yes, yes. I’m sure there wasn’t a single government tax break or incentive in this deal. They just bought some land, built a building and voila.
What a joke.
Are you sure they bought land and built a building. Research the existing building and how it got rehabilitated. I suspect the 20 million was used but repriced equipment they were moving from a more expensive location.
If you care: read this about a 250 employ COS plant being shut down in American Somoa due to high labor cost and government supervision.
http://pidp.eastwestcenter.org/pireport/2009/April/04-27-12.htm
Could this be the plant to be moved to low cost Georgia?
” In 2000, Tri-Marine International Inc and Edmund A. Gann sold their 50 percent interest in Chicken of the Sea to Thai Union International, Inc., leaving Thai Union the sole owner of the company. Chicken of the Sea International and Tri-Union International LLC merged into one company, still called Chicken of the Sea International.
““State and local officials in Lyons presented us with a tremendous opportunity that ensures our ability to compete in the marketplace for the long term,” said Shue Wing Chan, president of Chicken of the Sea International, in a news release. “The state of Georgia provided a business development package that makes for a smooth transition.”
THERE IS INDEED SOMETHING FISHY …………….how Georgia [might have paid] $100,000 each for 200 @ $15,000 per year jobs.
“How much did Georgia PAY for each job created?”
Some community is going to ‘PAY’ for the jobs, and why shouldn’t it be Lyons, GA? In the end, any intelligent community leadership is going to do a financial analysis to determine the long-term benefit of offering incentives for large corporations to locate in their area. If the long-term benefit is there, they make a deal. That’s just smart government.
I can’t imagine the State of Georgia is going to take a loss to buy these jobs either. We have enough budget problems already.
How many world famous onions are going to be out of a job now? And how do you determine the long term value of farm land? It certainly ain’t part of the formula when the lobbyists and the politicians and the illegal aliens get together.
Techno-Luddite,
When I was a child in Gainesville , grew up 4 blocks from a chicken rendering plant, ah the smell and floating parts in the creeks.
Do we really want low quality jobs or is any job better than nothing.
I take it you do not eat chicken to this day, right?
With Toombs County’s unemployment rate hovering around 10%, we’ll take the jobs.
Seriously, some of you would look a gift horse in the mouth – even if it were standing in the winner’s circle at Churchill Downs.
How does it make sense to process Tuna in this area of Georgia? Just asking. Not trying to be a naysayer. Or a stick in the mud. Wouldn’t want to rain on anybody’s parade. Or be a veritable “fly in the ointment” as it were.
“Game Fan” – I was wondering the same thing. Is there a plant nearby (fertilizer, dog food, etc) that is going to use the leftovers?
Squanto taught the Pilgrims to plant corn with fish. Tuna. Onions. Maybe we’re onto something. I’m not sure what though. Tuna Salad? Fish flavored Funyuns?http://www.thementalfitnesscenter.com/Funyuns.gif
http://www.thementalfitnesscenter.com/Funyuns.gif
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