Thread: Bush's Visit to Kernersville

This article can be found at www.journalnow.com:



Plant draws Bush notice
Deere-Hitachi was tapped for success
By Wesley Young
JOURNAL REPORTER
Saturday, December 3, 2005


The economic success of the Deere-Hitachi Construction Machinery Corp. in Kernersville caught the eye of the White House when it was looking for a backdrop for President Bush to speak about the economy and tax relief on Monday.

Al Hubbard, the economic adviser to Bush and the director of the National Economic Council, said that Bush is coming to Deere-Hitachi because the plant is part of "an incredibly successful company."

"The growth rate has been remarkable," Hubbard said in a telephone conference with reporters. "You know, in 2001 they actually produced 1,000 units. In '05 they'll produce 6,000 units."

Increased worker productivity allowed the plant to achieve a sixfold increase with only a fourfold increase in the number of workers, Hubbard said. "And that's what's making America's economy the strongest in the world among developed countries."

Deere-Hitachi was formed as a joint venture in 1988 between Deere & Co., an American heavy-equipment manufacturer, and Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. of Japan. At a time when workers worry about jobs going overseas - and when local textile and furniture companies have suffered - Deere-Hitachi has been booming: In 2004, some production lines were moved to Kernersville from plants in Japan and Mexico, said Mary Leonard, a spokeswoman for Deere & Co.

Employment at Deere-Hitachi has risen from about 300 in 2002 to about 1,000 today, Leonard said.

"I can tell you that we are thrilled and pleased to have the president visiting the Deere-Hitachi facility," she said.

Bush will visit the plant off West Mountain Street in Kernersville from 12:45 to 2 p.m., the White House said yesterday.

Only Deere-Hitachi workers and a small number of invited guests will meet with Bush.

The White House hasn't said how Bush will travel to the plant and isn't likely to do so because of security concerns.

Bush will speak about the economy and tax relief, the White House said.

Hubbard said that Deere-Hitachi's international connection wasn't the main reason that the administration picked the plant for a visit, but he added that the joint venture was an example of America's open attitude to global trade.

"What makes our economy strong is how flexible we are," Hubbard said. "We allow foreign companies to come here. We encourage foreign countries to allow our companies to invest over there."

Bush's visit to Kernersville comes less than two weeks before the start of a World Trade Organization meeting in Hong Kong on the Doha Development Agenda, a plan to open markets around the world by lowering trade barriers. Last month, in a speech in Kyoto, Japan, Bush maintained that eliminating trade barriers could "lift hundreds of millions of people out of poverty" in the developing world.

Hubbard said that he wouldn't be surprised to hear Bush talk about global trade at the Deere-Hitachi plant, but he wouldn't say what new initiatives Bush may announce in trade or any other area. Hubbard said he didn't want to pre-empt the president's remarks.

"He will be talking about the economy, our successes and the challenges, one of which is health care," Hubbard said. "Americans are very concerned about the state of health care. The co-payments are going up. Health care is much higher than it should be."

The visit comes at a time of good economic news for the president. The Labor Department said yesterday that the economy gained 215,000 jobs in November, rebounding from weak growth after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Workers earned 3.2 percent more last month as well.

"We are all feeling very good about the economy," Hubbard said.

In 2004, some production lines were moved to Kernersville from plants in Japan and Mexico, said Mary Leonard, a spokeswoman for Deere & Co.

These people are doing things backwards and still making money, creating jobs and looking out for their employees? I didn't think that could be done anymore

Health care is much higher than it should be

Could be because doctors & hospitals have had to pass on the cost of treating illegal aliens

Hopefully, Bush won't get close enough to whisper in somebody's ear "you can increase your profits even more if you'll hire illegals"

They probably ALREADY hire them. Now, THAT would be an interesting study!