Manufacturing leds § way in employment
BY ALAN HODGE
Staff Writer
Once almost solely depen-
dent on textiles and agriculture,
the economy of Cleveland
County is seeing an increasing-
ly diversified mix of retail, ser-
vice, and manufacturing busi-
nesses. Of these factors,
manufacturing is leading the
way in employment and rev-
enues.
In the second quarter of 1999,
the Cleveland County work-
force was figured to be 36,934
employees. Of this total, 34 per-
cent were engaged in manufac-
turing. Next up was service in-
dustries with 19 percent of the
total workforce. Rounding out
the score, retail trade tallied 17
wholesale trade six percent, all
percent, government 14 percent,
other jobs made up 10 percent
of the county workforce.
Statewide, the trend in recent
years has been for more service
industry jobs and less manufac-
turing jobs. Between 1992 and
1997, the state had a 2.4 percent
decline in manufacturing jobs
and a 52 percent growth in ser-
vice sector jobs.
Wages for blue collar manu-
facturing workers are some of
the best in Cleveland County.
For the second quarter of 1999,
only workers in the mining in-
dustry in Cleveland County -
had a higher average weekly
wage. At that time, mining
workers averaged $652.13 per
week. The average wage for a
manufacturing sector worker
was $603.63. The average 1999
weekly wage for workers in all
sectors in Cleveland County
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October 25 & 26, 2000
was $500.80. The statewide av-
erage was $558.40.
In the manufacturing sector,
weekly pay ranged from $402
for fabricated metal products to
$706 for electronic and other
electrical equipment manufac-
turing jobs. Total wages paid to
manufacturing workers in
Cleveland County amounted to
$98,968,388. A total of 162 man-
ufacturing employment work
sites were reported. The aver-
age annual wage statewide for a
manufacturing worker is just
over $30,000.
By comparison, service sector
workers in Cleveland County in
1999 made an average of $456
per week. Government employ-
ees averaged $448 per week.
Retail trade workers trailed
with an average weekly pay of
wage segment reported in
Cleveland County in June, 1999
went to securities and com-
modities brokers at $1,142.
At least 11 manufacturing, as-
sembly and distribution related
firms in Cleveland County em-
ploy 200 or more workers.
None of these firms are union-
ized. Of these, PPG Industries is
by far the largest with 1,850 em-
ployees. Next up is Hoescht
Ticona with 800 workers. Firms
with 500 or more workers in-
clude Eaton Corp. with 600,
Fasco Controls with 700,
Reliance Electric with 590, and
PMDC with 585 workers.
Rounding out the list is KoSa
with 480 employees, Copeland
Corp., with 425 workers,
Cleveland Mills with 300,
Kemet Electronics with 200, and
Azdel, Inc. with 200 workers.
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By comparison, major service
related employers are
Cleveland County Schools with
1,125 workers, Cleveland
Regional Medical Center with
900 employees, and Cleveland
County government, with 730
workers.
For the period 1993-2000, Co
manufacturing firms in | 48
Cleveland County have invest-
ed $186.25 million in new or ex-
isting facilities. These compa-
nies have created or saved
nearly 1,500 jobs. Largest in- g
vestment for the period was by
Copeland Corporation at $40
million and 200 jobs. Grover
Industries and Kemet also had
200 employees each.
Next highest investment was
Johnson Development at $30
See Leading, Page 7
$276.25. Top weekly average
"e g
Reliance Electric
supplies motors
around the world
.BY ALAN HODGE
Staff Writer
Reliance Electric began opera- |
tions in 1904 in Cleveland, Ohio
as Lincoln Electric Motor
Works. A partnership between
cousins John Lincoln and Peter
Hitchcock, The firm shipped its
first electric motor in 1905.
In 1907, Lincoln sold his.in-
terest in the company to
Charles and Ruben Hitchcock,
Peter’s sons. Ruben brought
Charles Collens on board and
changed the name to Reliance
Electric and Engineering
Company.
In 1986, Reliance became the
largest industrial motor produc-
er in the nation with the pur-
chase of the Medium AC Motor
Division from Westinghouse
Electric Co. The year 1994 saw
Reliance Electric and Allen-
Brady join Rockwell
* Automation to become the
The quiet rural atmosphere
|. that surrounds Reliance
Electric's manufacturing facility
' near Kings Mountain doesn’t
begin to hint at the incredible
activity going on inside. A sup-
plier of electric motors to clients
worldwide, Reliance Electric's
Cleveland County plant is a dy-
namic mixture of old fashioned
hard work and the latest in
computerized manufacturing
technology.
Located across the road from
Bethware School, Reliance
Electric's 225,000 square foot
building sits on 14 acres. The
plant began production in
January, 1983. Currently,
Reliance has 400 workers in
three full and one mini-shift.
Now a part of Rockwell
Automation, the company
ALAN HODGE/THE HERALD
Reliance Electric's Glenn Moore (right) and Jim Baer take a look at one of the company’s latest
products. The G-30 electric motor sets new standards in its class for efficient and economical op-
eration.
See Reliance, Page 7
WOE | LER i FORE ER