The Maury Alliance is touting their addition of W.R. Grace to the Mt. Pleasant community. I wonder if Mt. Pleasant truly knows what is heading their direction? For those that may want to view some of this in person, Mt. Pleasant has their City Commission meeting on April 18th at 7:00 PM.
Here is the text of the article.
W.R. Grace and Company has purchased and will expand a 110,000 SF building formerly used by AP Tenntech. Grace, a Fortune 500 company, predicts a $20 million capital investment in the Mt. Pleasant site. "This is a major investment in Maury County and a project that gives us a major corporate presence," said Maury County Mayor Jim Bailey.
Grace Performance Chemicals will hire about 60 people in the first 12-19 months of operation, adding approximately 40 more employees as the business grows. These are good jobs. We welcome W.R. Grace to Mt. Pleasant and look forward to a longstanding partnership between the city and the company," said Mt. Pleasant Mayor Willie Boyd. Grace is a leader in the global construction products industry, manufacturing a fullrange of waterproofing products for residential and commercial construction including: Grace Ice & Water Shield and Tri-flex 30 roofing underlayments, Vycor window, door and deck flashings, and Bituthene below grade structural waterproofing systems. These products provide protection against water and moisture infiltration that can cause structural damage, rot and mold. Attracting a company like W.R. Grace is not something that happens overnight, nor is it something done by one person. The company worked with a national real estate company that began its search in 9 states and considered more than 100 potential sites. So, who sold the company on Maury County? A lot of people worked through a number of organizations Maury Alliance, TVA, TN ECD, City of Mt. Pleasant, Maury County officials, TN Southern Railroad, TN Department of Labor and the South Central TN Workforce Investment Board.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Maury Alliance touting W.R. Grace
Posted by Gorilla in the Corner at 8:13 AM
Labels: County Government, Miscellaneous
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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: The information on this website is a series of personal opinions and is not meant to reflect an official position by the City of Spring Hill.
23 comments:
If you are going to imply there is something wrong with Grace, then you need to post some data. Otherwise they are providing much needed jobs for a local economy that needs them.
There's a reason that 102,000 documents are returned when you search for "W.R. Grace" and the word Litigation on Google.
Try it for yourself here
W.R. Grace directly affected my family. My father-in-law died in 1997 because of mesothelioma. His family proved in a lawsuit-and won damages- that W.R. Grace and some other companies were liable for this abestos-related disease.
They have not really done well in owning up to this. They are not welcome, as far I am concerned.
I wonder if all of these proud groups will be lining up to take responsibility in bringing this company into the area after there's a problem...
Maury Alliance, TVA, TN ECD, City of Mt. Pleasant, Maury County officials, TN Southern Railroad, TN Department of Labor and the South Central TN Workforce Investment Board
Typical.
People work hard to bring good paying jobs to the area and you have to find a reason to cut them down.
Please go read the information available from any source that you choose. Would you be thrilled at bringing in these "high paying" jobs to your backyard? You are welcome to disagree, but read the information first. I think that this is exactly the type of information that citizens need to know, then make your decision.
Are you going to be the first to sign up for a job?
"If you are going to imply there is something wrong with Grace, then you need to post some data."
The data's been posted here and at maurynewsnet and in the Columbia Daily Herald, The Spokane Post Intelllgencer, The Billings Gazette, The Missoulian, countless civil and criminal court cases, in a motion picture called "A Civil Action, and as Silverback pointed out, 102,000 times on Google.
Are those 60 jobs worth the over 200 deaths, up to 1,000 more dead expected and $300 million worth of cleanup in Libby Montana. A mess that the federal government (meaning us) has to pay because Grace ran from their obligation to the community they polluted for 30 years.
Just how cheaply should we sacrifice our lives, the lives of our friends and family, and the life of our environment? We can watch each other literally suffocate over a period of five to ten years as Grace leaves middle Tennessee contaminated with asbestos or some other deadly substance, and takes their golden 60 jobs to some other area begging for industry.
How much are our dignity and principals and loved ones worth? When should we just start prostituting ourselves out for jobs and promises?
Do some research into what you are defending, please, because I assure you I have done mine.
--Ron DeYoung
The Spring Hill hospital will bring good paying jobs. Will Maury Alliance and others work as hard?
You would think that they would welcome a hospital that will bring 300 jobs and add substantially to the county tax base.
I kinda feel like they (the Maury Alliance) are the victims in this situation. They worked hard to sell this property to Grace, but lost sight of the ultimate goal - to bring QUALITY development to this area. Now, Maury Alliance is caught holding the bag. What are their options? They already have committed themselves to bringing this company to Maury County. To back off now would be too much of an ego buster.
WR Grace was a done deal long before it came before the Co Commish. Book it.
Here is a little fair and balanced data
W. R. Grace & Co. (NYSE: GRA) Want to work for this company? Click on our new Job Openings link below for a better job today. 7500 Grace Dr.
Columbia, MD 21044-4098 (Map)Phone: 410-531-4000
Fax: 410-531-4367
http://www.grace.com
Hoover's coverage by Anne Law
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Overview
W. R. Grace & Co. has embraced Thoreau's call to simplify. The company has restructured from six product groups into two major units, each accounting for about half of sales. Grace's Davison Chemicals unit makes silica-based products, chemical catalysts, and refining catalysts that help produce refined products from crude oil. Its Performance Chemicals unit makes concrete and cement additives, packaging sealants, and fireproofing chemicals. The company's customers include chemicals companies, oil refiners, and construction firms. Grace filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001 after an unexpected increase in asbestos litigation (injury claims nearly doubled in 2000); the company no longer makes such products.
Sample Overview & History
Key Numbers
Ranked "Highest in Investor Satisfaction Among Online Trading Services" Company Type Public (NYSE: GRA)
Fiscal Year-End December
2005 Sales (mil.) $2,569.5
1-Year Sales Growth 13.7%
2005 Net Income (mil.) $67.3
2005 Employees 6,400
1-Year Employee Growth (1.5%)
Get more Key Numbers
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Job OpeningsChairman Paul J. Norris
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President, CEO, and Director Alfred E. (Fred) Festa
SVP, Administration W. Brian McGowan
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Top Competitors
Albemarle
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Engelhard
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Industry Information
Chemicals
Basic and Intermediate Chemical & Petrochemical Manufacturing (primary)
Paints, Coatings & Other Finishing Product Manufacturing
Specialty Chemical Manufacturing
Construction
Construction Materials
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I like the entry about the "Unexplained increase in asbestos litigation".
I'm sure they do very well by their investors, but that still doesn't erase the fact that they tried to slide out of responsibility to the people that were affected by their carelessness.
That's pretty simple data to come up with, Anonymous. Please indulge me while I take a moment read between the lines.
You posted...."Grace's Davison Chemicals unit makes silica-based products, chemical catalysts, and refining catalysts that help produce refined products from crude oil. Its Performance Chemicals unit makes concrete and cement additives, packaging sealants, and fireproofing chemicals. The company's customers include chemicals companies, oil refiners, and construction firms."
That doesn't sound like anything I wouldn't mind in my drinking water. Next sentence:
You posted...."Grace filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001 after an unexpected increase in asbestos litigation (injury claims nearly doubled in 2000)"
They filed for bankruptcy protection in 2001 to avoid being held accountable for the damage they caused by mining vermiculite, which in turn disturbed natural asbestos deposits that were underneath it.
The EPA and Federal Government, as well as a multitude of attorneys have proven that Grace knew about the deadly effects to peoples health. The first cases of asbestosis and mesothelioma began to appear in workers as early as 1984. They kept at it for another 15 years before closing down in 1999, after nearly 200 people had already died.
Just last year, a Federal Grand Jury indicted seven of Grace's officers for conspiring to conceal the dangers of asbestos from their workers and the residents of Libby, Montana and defrauding the government to avoid liability. Earlier this month a judge denied motions to dismiss and trial is scheduled for September 11th, 2006.
Finally, you added ...."Ranked "Highest in Investor Satisfaction Among On line Trading Services" Company Type Public (NYSE: GRA)
Fiscal Year-End December
2005 Sales (mil.) $2,569.5
1-Year Sales Growth 13.7%
2005 Net Income (mil.) $67.3
2005 Employees 6,400
1-Year Employee Growth (1.5%)"
They grossed nearly $2.6 billion last year and netted over $67 million. Stockholders are bound to be happy.
People who have been given a death sentence by Grace's irresponsibility, double dealing and evasive actions are having to fight the beaURACRACY EVERY STEP OF THE WAY TO GET SOmething like oxygen so they can breathe.
The EPA will spend at least five more years cleaning up Grace's mess in Libby, now a super fund clean up site, at a cost of $17 million per year. Additional expenses of $250 million in taxpayer medical care for their victims is anticipated. It's not that difficult to make a profit if you don't pay the consequences of acts committed attaining that wealth.
The stockholders would not be so happy if Grace had paid for their actions to the tune of $300 million. That would have taken the green right out of their wallets.
Why would anyone try to defend them, and root for there presence here? We don't need W. R. Grace in Middle, Tennessee.
I particulary enjoyed this quote from the Maury Alliance Visions article:
"This is the way economic development in Tennessee is done - a team effort with the single purpose of meeting the company's needs and creating good jobs for Tennesseans. Commissioner Matt Kisber, TN ECD"
Which one was the single purpose again?
1 Meeting the company's needs, or
2 Creating good jobs for Tennesseans
Some folks are willing to make deals with the devil in order to make a dollar, I happen to not be one of them.
The fair and balanced reporting award goes to Ron Deyoung. Keep up the good work.
The new hospital will not be one of the "industries" Maury Alliance will be pushing. Watch and see. Two many good ole boys in Maury Alliance, FFM and Maury County Govt. With the growth in Spring Hill I hope new candidates for public office will emerge, in particular the County Mayors position needs to be challenged by someone who will bring new ideas, and less good ole boys to the table.
it is so easy to put blame on the good old boys. that is just an excuse. if you think that you can do it better, you need to get involved.
I have been involved very involved, you just dont know who you are talking to because I wish to remain anonymous.
Ron Deyoung has posted an excellent followup article on this issue at Maury News Net:
Where's The Outrage?
According to Paul Peronard, of the Environmental Protection Agency in Washington D.C., Grace is single handedly responsible for over 100 federal Super Fund clean up sites EPA search results. So where is the outrage? When I asked him how they manage to keep doing business Peronard replied, "These guys are smooth… real smooth. They simply find an area that has above average unemployment and local government that is unaware of Grace’s history, and promise jobs and money."
How bad does Maury County need those jobs? Maury County needs to know this company is not welcome here! The people living here need to be angry enough to insist that everything possible is done to ensure they stay out! The people and organizations that worked so hard to get them to invest here have to be mature enough to admit they didn’t do their homework before offering to subsidize W. R. Grace. They need to be responsible enough to do what is best for the residents and future residents of Maury County.
How many jobs have any of you produced for Maury County?
Hopefully there will be 300 new jobs here with the coming of Tri-Star. But, that's not the point. The point is, why would anybody consider giving Maury County tax dollars to a company that has the history that Grace has?
Well, our District 11 Commissioners did vote against the tax breaks to W.R. Grace...
Maury News Net Article on the Vote
Hey Gorilla and gang,
I just want to thank you for the support you gave MauryNewsNet with regard to W.R. Grace. I'd like to optimistically say we put up a good fight and lost fair and square.... but I can't. There had to be other influences at work here in order for the vote to go the way it did.
I'd also like to think that the exposure would at least result in Grace being watched with a sceptical eye by everyone and questioned frequently about anything that is the least bit out of order. Unfortunately, I doubt that will happen either. Not enough people care enough or have the stones to take a stand.
The Commish, in allowing Grace tax incentives has effectively paved the road for Maury County to become a toxic waste dump for corporate America. There are many companies that need a place that will allow them to operate unchecked.
If the elections don't get these morons out of their seats, the efforts of those who do care about the future might as well fold it up and go away.
None are so blind, as those who refuse to see.
Thanks again. Ron DeYoung
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