Who is Clean Tech?

Who is Clean Tech? That's a question that has been on the minds of a lot of folks in Stanly County recently.

The Stanly News & Press recently printed a profile of Clean Tech. Some of the highlights:

• Clean Tech is led by a management team and investor group that has extensive experience building and operating industrial facilities across the United States.  Over the past 30 years, Clean Tech’s management and investment sponsors have helped create more than 10,000 jobs and invested billions of dollars in various projects in support of modernizing industrial America.  
• Clean Tech prides itself on (i) purchasing and installing the very best technology and equipment available, (ii) spending substantial amounts of time and money on employee training, and (iii) creating a compensation system that allows for wages well above the base wage level.  
• Projects include a $1 billion of scrap metal recycling investments in Arkansas; a $350-million “green renewable” investment in Hertford County, NC when Gov. Jim Hunt was leading efforts to create advanced manufacturing jobs; and an $880-million steel mill investment in Mississippi that created 450 jobs with guaranteed average annual wages of $53,000 per year.  (In some years, average annual wages exceeded $90,000.)

Clean Tech wants to make a $300-million industrial investment in Badin, North Carolina that would create 250 direct jobs (average annual wages of $55,000) and 200 indirect jobs (average annual wages of $40,000).  

Alcoa and Jobs

The Salisbury Post published an editorial today supporting our efforts to reach an agreement with Stanly County and bring hundreds of high-paying jobs to Stanly County. We agree that it's time to work together to bring 450 Clean Tech jobs to Stanly County. The other option -- a protracted legal battle and the loss of the Clean Tech jobs -- won't benefit anyone.

Read the editorial below.

Salisbury Post Editorial
Wednesday, September 14

Alcoa and Jobs

Alcoa and Stanly County commissioners still stand on opposite sides of the river when it comes to Alcoa's hydroelectric relicensing efforts, but at least they've been talking to one another. We'll take that as an encouraging sign.

The latest volley in the public relations battle over the relicensing centers on jobs. Alcoa, which is seeking federal approval to continue operating its Yadkin River hydroelectric dams, says securing the license is necessary to recruit new businesses and replace the jobs lost when the Badin smelting operations closed. Standing in the way, however, is Alcoa's inability to get a water quality certificate, which the state has refused to issue, citing mistatements on Alcoa's application. Stanly has sided with the state, which opposes renewal of Alcoa's federal license in hopes of taking over the Yadkin dams and using cheap electricity as its own industrial recruitment tool.

Meanwhile, caught in the middle of this power struggle are Stanly County citizens, who like those elsewhere could desperately use new jobs to help lower a double-digit unemployment rate. Their hopes were raised a few months ago when Alcoa announced that Electronic Recyclers International would move into the site of Alcoa's former smelting plant in Badin, starting with a workforce of 20-30 employees that is expected to reach 200. Now, Alcoa says another company, Clean Tech Silicon and Bar LLC, could bring in several hundred jobs and $300 million in investment. But in return, it apparently wants Stanly to drop its opposition to the water quality certification and relicensing effort. Stanly Commissioner Tony Dennis contends Alcoa is holding the promised jobs "hostage" as a way to put pressure on the county. Which is probably true to the same extent the state is holding the water certification "hostage" to gain leverage against Alcoa.

In reality, both Alcoa and its relicensing opponents have played hard ball at times. But with good jobs on the table, the need to get past the war of words becomes more urgent. The takeover attempt has lost momentum as North Carolina copes with the economic downturn. At this point, it's hard to fathom state or county officials pursuing what would no doubt be a protracted and costly court battle against Alcoa. While the details of negotiations between Stanly and Alcoa haven't been divulged, the fact they've discussed a deal suggests possible movement in this standoff.

With takeover of the dams a distant possibility at best, better to drive a hard bargain with Alcoa and gain jobs and other tangible benefits now than to continue pursuing a costly legal battle that doesn't create employment for anyone other than lawyers and lobbyists.

Stanly County Jobs Rally Draws 750-800 People

A grassroots effort to rally support for new jobs in Stanly County drew a crowd of 750-800 people in Albemarle on Friday night.



The event was organized by Badin business owner Vanessa Mullinix and Albemarle Mayor Whit Whitley last week as word spread that Stanly County might lose the opportunity to attract 450 jobs from Clean Tech Silicon and Bar LLC.

Clean Tech has expressed interested in opening a manufacturing facility at Alcoa’s former plant site to produce silicon and rebar. A key aspect is reaching agreement on future economic development of the Badin Business Park and resolution of the 401 Water Quality Certificate with the Alcoa-owned Yadkin Hydroelectric Project. If Alcoa and the Stanly County Commissioners are unable to reach an agreement, Clean Tech will locate elsewhere.

At the Friday rally, Mayor Whitley read a letter from Clean Tech investor Dave Strickler: “In order for us to locate in Stanly County, what we need is a clear path forward so that we can make our investment and begin the hiring process. Let’s hope that the message tonight reaches the ears of the officials elected to represent your interests,” the letter said.

Click here to read more about the rally from the Stanly News & Press and Inside Stanly, and click here to see the thoughts of one local professor.