Newberry Co. officials react to Caterpillar plant’s planned closing

NEWBERRY COUNTY, S.C. (WOLO) – Caterpillar announced on Thursday its intention to close its Newberry generator plant over the next 18 months.

County Administrator Wayne Adams issued a statement Saturday on the county’s behalf:

“Newberry County’s first concern at this time is for the employees and their families. We will be working with the appropriate state agencies concerning various forms of assistance for these workers, including unemployment and worker training benefits, as well as assistance in seeking new jobs. The county is also ready to assist Caterpillar in finding a new tenant for its facility, with hopes that it will house new job opportunities for Newberry County citizens in the near future.”

The Caterpillar facility provides 325 jobs, making it one of Newberry County’s largest employers. The company is also the third-largest taxpayer in the county, providing $1.2 million in annual property tax revenue for school and county purposes.

Buddy Livingston, Newberry County Council chairman, expressed county council’s concern for the workers in the wake of Thursday’s announcement.

“An announcement of this kind hurts on many levels, but no one is impacted more than the workers and their families. Right now, they should be the primary focus.”

Rick Farmer, the county’s economic developer, reacted with guarded optimism.

“There is no way to overstate the impact of this closure on our community, but in the long run Newberry County will recover. We have a pro-business leadership, modern infrastructure, and a quality workforce. On top of that, Newberry County is an attractive place for companies to do business.”