Century Leaders Looking Toward China To Land Local Jobs

March 28, 2014

Two Century leaders are in Dothan today with their eyes on China for possible jobs.

Mayor Freddie McCall and Century Chamber Economic Development Coordinator Cindy Anderson are attending the U.S.-China Manufacturing Symposium. Co-organized by SoZo Group and China Chamber of International Commerce, the symposium brought to about 400  Chinese businessmen looking to bring businesses to American soil.

The Dothan event is the combination to two events, including the smaller Alabama-China Partnership Symposium that was held a few years ago in Monroeville, Ala.  That event paid off for Thomasville, , a town of 4,209 people just over 100 miles northwest of Century, landed a deal with the Golden Dragon copper tubing plant that now employs over 100 people with plans to triple that workforce in the next year.  The town was able to recruit the Chinese plant that employees local Thomasville residents without ever traveling to China.

Century was the only small Florida Panhandle community invited to participate.

Century’s price tag for attending the event includes $2,400 in registration fees, hotel expenses for McCall (Anderson’s lodging is  being paid for by the Century Chamber),  and $1,253 for ad agency Ideawörks to create and print 500 tri-fold brochures promoting Century.

Comments

12 Responses to “Century Leaders Looking Toward China To Land Local Jobs”

  1. M T on March 29th, 2014 1:54 pm

    If China bought wal-mart they would have the worlds largest retailer, They already have manufacturing base..Total control over ignorant U.S. consumers.!

  2. angie on March 29th, 2014 5:47 am

    Wow, we are getting China to come here to give us jobs. While American based companies are moving to China, like the COKE COLA company.Well it hasn’t but they are seriously considering it. America has sold out! Im tired of people acting surprised, its been coming to this. As for Walmart, since Sam Walton died Walmart hardly has anything made in America. Get ready instead of our RED,WHITE AND BLUE, we will have only RED before long. Pray for our country!

  3. cygie on March 28th, 2014 9:59 pm

    Why would the Chinese buy Wal Mart? Most of the products sold there appear to be manufactured in China already.

  4. melodies4us on March 28th, 2014 9:43 pm

    Bad news : ( It is essential that U.S. citizens own land in The United states of America. That’s the source of our problem, that Americans no longer own America.

  5. M T on March 28th, 2014 8:19 pm

    The Chinese should buy Wal-Mart…

  6. JimD on March 28th, 2014 1:27 pm

    Mike,

    Where do you think any jobs are going to come from? The only action our government is interested in is getting people to rely on government handouts, not looking for a pay check.

  7. John leonard on March 28th, 2014 9:40 am

    Let’s hope that this opportunity is not the same as past fiasco’s like the aviation company building helicopters that was going to set up shop. Seriously, do you think that a chinese company that pays it’s workers slave labor wages in it’s own country is going to employ local people in Century/Flomaton area at a fair wage . We need to re-vitalize the lumber industry. Foreign companies will only invest if they can cut their cost by investing here.

  8. Town Clerk on March 28th, 2014 8:43 am

    Very well said Mr. Ron Hendricks, obviously you are abreast of what has taken place in Thomasville, we are located just 20 minutes south of there and also have representatives from our Town attending the symposium this week in Dothan. I lived in the Flomaton area and worked there for 9 years before moving to Grove Hill. I would love to see this opportunity come to the Flomaton/Century area, I have several grandchildren that would prosper and hopefully stay in the area, if there were employment possibilities after Graduation. On the other side, I would love to have a spin off from China for our local area to employee the many unemployed and graduates from Grove Hill. There is so little for our children to go off to college and come back home for. Lets pray and seek God’s wisdom in this. Have a blessed day, and may all return home safely with positive news.

  9. Ron Hendricks on March 28th, 2014 7:53 am

    An industry such as a Golden Dragon Copper Tubing plant would be a good fit for the Flomaton/Century area. The SoZo group represents Hong Kong area based business groups with money to invest. Though Hong Kong is now part of mainland China, these people are of an independent mindset. I know they have traveled extensively through southern Alabama looking for investment opportunities.

    The Flomaton/Century area has a very good road/rail systems to support such businesses.

    It is good that Century is making such overtures. Sadly, as far as the majority of leadership in Escambia County Florida and Pensacola are concerned, nothing exists beyond 9 Mile Road. It would be good for Flomaton to get involved too!

  10. southerner on March 28th, 2014 7:31 am

    It is dangerous to be courting a communist country for jobs.

  11. Mike on March 28th, 2014 4:44 am

    I dunno man, China, I don’t think I could handle the commute, China’s a long ways away. :)

    Seriously tho, America looking to China for jobs, that is depressing. With everything made over there now, I guess it’s to be expected, they have beaten us economically. I hope some jobs comes from this for Century, at least they are trying.

  12. Jane on March 28th, 2014 4:43 am

    It is too bad our own country can’t afford to create more jobs for Americans. We have to go to China to get jobs in the area. At least this town is trying to create jobs, which is more than I can say for our County Commissioners.