Thursday, January 4, 2007
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Thursday, January 4, 2007 |
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Community | Obits | Editorial & Columnists | Society | Sports | Education | Classified Ads | Calendar of Events | Features | Newsbriefs | Legals | Archives | Subscriptions | Photo Gallery |
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City, county land industry By SUE WATSON Lund Precision Group, a manufacturing company that produces precision cutting knives for the agricultural industry and industrial coating technologies, is moving its entire state-side operations and headquarters in Hudson, Mass., to Holly Springs. It will locate in a building formerly occupied by American Plastics Toy Company at the city’s industrial park. Chief Operating Officer John Schwanbeck said last week that equipment is already being shipped to the plant with a goal of being ready to go to work as soon as possible because the company has customers waiting. Ultimately, Lund Coating Technologies in Collierville will move into the headquarters in Holly Springs to consolidate the two U.S. Lund manufacturing groups, he said. Lund Precision Group manufactures replaceable wear parts for the agricultural equipment industry, supplying parts for John Deere. The Collierville group produces one type of coating for wear parts that touch the soil. Lund is also expanding its manufacturing for the construction industry, Schwanbeck said. He said the specialty coatings extend the life of wear parts. Marshall County Industrial Development Authority is applying for a grant through Northeast Mississippi Planning and Development District to upgrade infrastructure inside the building. It will help ease Lund’s move to Holly Springs, Schwanbeck said. He praised Marshall County Industrial Development Authority and director Bill Renick for obtaining a grant for the plants infrastructure requirement and for working with Lund in closing the deal, which Renick said would be a win-win situation for Holly Springs and for Lund. When operations are going maximally, Lund expects to employ about 100 people in sales, clerical, supervisory, skilled, semi-skilled and computer numerical control machine tool operations. Several factors played into Lund’s decision to move its headquarters to Holly Springs including the potential to consolidate U.S. manufacturing operations into one plant. The building is sized right to meet the near future needs of the company with extra land available for expansion, if needed, Schwanbeck said. Holly Springs is strategically located for shipping of materials in and products out to the customers in the mid-west and far west at a savings on transportation costs, he said. Renick said Lund Precision Group is “just a great, great match for Holly Springs.” Lund’s presence will boost job opportunities for residents in the area and a building that has been vacant for nearly two years will be put back to good use, Renick said. “They saw where it could meet their needs and they could combine their two businesses, and it’s a real good deal for Holly Springs,” Renick said. Holly Springs Mayor Andre’ DeBerry was pleased of Lund’s announcement it will move its companies and national headquarters to Holly Springs. “It’s a major investment in the people of this city,” DeBerry said. “The company will bring new jobs to our city with the complete screening and hiring process to be done at Marshall County IDA Office on J.M. Ash Drive. “This is a major accomplishment for our city and county, that a company with the national and international reputation of Lund would place such confidence in the workforce and people of Holly Springs. We look forward to a long and positive relationship.” The company was built in 1947 by Swedish immigrant Gustave Lund and his son Roger in Maynard, Mass., to supply cutting components to the U.S. agricultural market. Lund and Lund was later bought by Rexnord Knife Division which penetrated the European markets with its products and in 1981 built a factory in Ireland to serve the European market. Senior management purchased Rexnord in 1985 and adopted the name Lund International Corporation and later changed the names of the Hudson operation to Lund Precision Products. In April 2004, Piper Industrial Coatings of Collierville, Tenn., was added to the Lund Precision Group and changed its name to Lund Coating Technologies. Report News:
(662) 252-4261 or south@dixie-net.com
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