As part of what he calls a daily tour to see manufacturing facilities across the state, Senator Richard Burr visited Columbus McKinnon's Wadesboro Operation (formerly Coffing Hoists) on Thursday, June 3.

"I try to take some portion of every day to see the manufacturing facilities we've got here in the state," Burr said.

The plant, located on Country Club Road just outside Wadesboro, makes powered and manual hoists, trolleys, cranes and other material-handling equipment for diverse applications worldwide.

Last July, the company announced it would be adding 65 jobs over the next three years, replacing positions that had been lost in layoffs and creating 49 new positions. In a little less than a year, the plant has gone from 136 workers to about 200.

"We hope to build up to a full second shift in the near future," HR manager Bob Stowe told Burr.

In response to questions from the senator about the Wadesboro operation's customer base, general manager Joe Ombrello replied that about 70-80 percent is domestic, but the company also ships to various European countries, as well as South America.

"And the end use of a majority of your products is manufacturing?" Burr asked. Ombrello responded that it mostly is, including industrial, manufacturing and wastewater uses. The company also has some clients in the entertainment industry, Stowe pointed out, which uses hoists for lights and sound equipment at concerts, Broadway shows and so on.

When Ombrello mentioned that Columbus McKinnon's Michigan operation had been consolidated into the Wadesboro plant, Burr said it was due to the hardworking ethic of most of North Carolina's workers.

"You're sometimes competing with other facilities," he said.

Ombrello agreed, saying, "We could've easily been closed instead of them consolidating here."

Ombrello also pointed out the company's emphasis on education, and Burr said he'd love to get both Stowe and Ombrello "on tape, talking about community colleges, training and retraining."

"It's great that they can train at night where you're not taking them out of a wage-earning situation," he added.

Burr said that he was impressed with the Wadesboro operation, and enjoys touring manufacturing facilities across the state.

"When a community sees signs of life— an increase in employees, manufacturers making investments in the community— it gives kids in high schools a reason not to leave," Burr said. "They can look around and see visible signs of revitalization."