Saturday, August 13, 2016

Where'd you get those birds? Somehow New Albany's water park fails to retain yet another business.


Bill Hanson gave the wheel a mighty and heroic heave, but couldn't figure out any way to insert a "Pokemon: Pro or Con?" poll directly into Morris's copy, so Papa plays it straight and elegant, providing the city's Dishevelment Director with sufficient rope for self-suspension.

VT Industries closing New Albany plant, by Chris Morris (Show Us Your River Ridge)

VT Industries will soon be closing its doors in New Albany.

The company currently employs around 120 people and produces laminate countertops, architectural wood and thermo foil doors ...

 ... David Duggins, New Albany’s director of economic development and redevelopment, said the city had no prior knowledge of VT Industries desire to close its plant in the Industrial Park. He said the city, along with 1si and WorkOne, will help laid off workers find new employment and said there are some companies planning future expansions, which will add to the growing job market.

“We have a lot of job growth and I think we can absorb those employees, in that salary range, in no time,” Duggins said.

He said an existing company in Industrial Park is looking at a “substantial” expansion soon, but he did not name the business.

You may recall that neither Duggins nor his immediate superior from the Down Low Bunker's executive suite knew Pillsbury was leaving.

They also didn't know turkeys couldn't fly, so enjoy this clip from last week's Redevelopment fixer.

2 comments:

Iamhoosier said...

Perhaps our Economic Developer ought to spend less time in the bunker and Quills. Perhaps we ought to send him a map to the industrial park.

w&la said...

Here's a thought for the Director of Economic Development and Redevelopment:

Go to every business in the city, and after introducing yourself, ask the business owners what would make their efforts more attainable. Then, go back to your office and make a list. Rank them in order of frequency and then think about how you could fulfill their requests.

This is called "a plan".

Then, set about fulfilling their requests. This would be called "progress".

Pillsbury wanted better data management and wanted high-speed data transfer rates - not the bullshit claim heralded by City Hall regarding Time Warner Cable's "higher download speeds". Pillsbury spent millions to build a new factory in Tennessee - they could have built the same new plant here.

If the city would talk with every business owner, instead of just showing up for ribbon-cuttings and hoping to spin that activity as "helping", New Albany could avoid being blindsided by businesses packing up and leaving.

I bet Mr. Duggins had never set foot inside VT Industries, let alone asked them "how's your business?" and "what may I do to help your business grow?".