Florence, SC -
By Alisha Laventure - bio | email
FLORENCE, SC (WMBF) – State Senator Hugh Leatherman announces a task force to find the successor to operate Roche Carolina's facility in Florence.
Senator Hugh Leatherman announced in a press conference Tuesday that a three member task-force will work to find the "right" company to buy the plant. This comes one week after the Swiss pharmaceutical company Carolina announced it will cut global work force by six percent.
Florence City Mayor Stephen Wukela said the jobs of more than 300 employees in Florence and the Pee Dee are at stake.
Senator Leatherman announced the task force at the Drs. Bruce & Lee Foundation Library in Florence. It is manned by Dr. Charles Gould - chairman of the Florence County Economic Development Partnership and president of Florence-Darlington Technical College, Dr. Fred Carter - president of Francis Marion University, and Don Herriott - a former Roche Carolina and Roche International executive who currently lives in Florence.
"He couldn't have found a group of three that have more experience in economic development and more connections in the community, trying to recruit the appropriate partner," Mayor Wukela said. He is pleased with the Senator's swift response to Roche's
Mayor Wukela said The State Department of Commerce Is Offering $400,000 to assist the task force in the search for a business to buy Roche. The Florence County Economic Development Partnership And North Eastern Strategic Alliance are both committing an additional $50,000, totaling a bargaining chip of worth half a million dollars.
"We've got to make sure we're aggressive and competitive, that we can lure a successor with appropriate incentives, but also lure the right kind of successor. That's what is so critically important," Mayor Wukela added.
While they have these funds at their disposal, Dr. Gould said the task force may not use them. He says their intention is to be proactive in finding a company to purchase the plant, rather than wait to see what happens. They want to avoid a buyer that will cannibalize the company.
"This is the time for our community and our leadership to come together and to make sure that we forge ahead finding a replacement," Wukela asserted.
"It's crucial to us that we get the right successor operating in that plant - not only for the jobs and the economic growth that's so important to us, but we also want to make sure we get the right corporate partner for our community."
Roche announced it will cut 4,800 jobs over two years, mostly in the U.S., to help save 2.4 billion Swiss francs ($2.4 billion) by 2012.
"These measures are necessary to ensure sustained success of the company," said Roche's Chief Executive, Severin Schwan.
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