25°Huron Township paint plant gets biz boost
Sep 08
2010
A new contract between WalMart and the former ICI Paints will likely mean more jobs and an economic boost to Huron Township.
WalMart recently selected AkzoNobel, formerly ICI Paints, as the primary paint supplier for the retailer’s U.S. stores. AkzoNobel's Huron Township plant produces paint, colorant and other components used in paint manufacturing.
The company will develop and manufacture interior and exterior paints for WalMart’s approximately 3,500 U.S. stores, using the Glidden and ColorPlace brands, company officials said.
The company's 70-acre manufacturing complex in Huron Township includes four plants and a distribution center. Locally, the company employs several hundred people.
The Huron Township plant, in fact, typically employs more than 200, according to Sheila Ehrhardt, director of the Huron Chamber of Commerce.
“I don’t know the average wage, but I believe it is a fair wage, because their employees stay there once they’re hired in,” Ehrhardt said. “In other words, they don’t have a high turnover rate.”
Print
Facebook
Twitter
Email
.jpg)
Sold to the highest bidder!
Comments
Share your thoughts and opinions with your community. All comments on our site are governed by our Discussion Guidelines. You must have a valid account to post comments.
07:05 PM
old dog says
About 50 full time jobs will be filled. And they are strongly looking into swing shifts, which will eliminate any overtime pay. But is still great news. 50 new people in this area off of unemployment means alot .
My hat is off to Azzo Nobel for making this happen.
09:58 AM
joe_b423 says
It will definitely be made here, paint is not like an auto, it takes up a lot of space, and is not very expensive compared to cars, etc.07:14 AM
looking around says
I agree with Old Dog, what is needed are more permanent full time employees. Also hopefully they will not be forced by Wal-Mart to alter the chemistry of their paint to suit Wal-Mart cost structure as that could affect their quality standards negatively. Wal-Mart is known to want to use brand names to market products to their own manufacturing specifications. Just because it's in Wal-Mart with a brand name you recognize doesn't mean it's the same. Consumers Digest warns of this with many of the products sold at Wal-Mart. Check your model numbers when ever possible, especially on appliances and electronics that you are comparing. Hopefully, the product will be made here and not brought in from offshore then simply packaged and distributed from ICI.
09:12 AM
joe_b423 says
I agree with old dog, it is great news, however most new hires will probably be part timers as current part timers would get first dibs on moving to full time. Also they are proposing moving to a seven day operation.11:15 AM
goofus says
Wait a minute, ICI is in Huron and not China oops how did that happen. Anxiously awaiting the responses of the buy american hate wal-mart crowd.
07:41 AM
Julie R. says
I personally don't like their paint, anyway. Best paint I've found is Behr from Home Depot. It's a little more expensive but it's worth it!
07:25 AM
Taxpayer says
OK you liberal UNION freaks! Start your whinning and crying about buying at Wal-Mart. Come on! Start with all your RACIST rant about buying American. You can DO it! That train is NEVER late! Ha! Ha! I see the UNION boycott of Wal-Mart is NOT working. I was just in there and it was crowded. You UNION people are hypocrites and continue with a false premise. It is obvious, especially in a UNION town. Ha! Ha! Hey, go out and buy one of those 0bama Motors Chev. Volt. I have NOT seen any around. What's the matter crybabies, your OWN product a bit too expensive and a piece of junk?? In fact, most of you should have driven your Volts to Cleveland to faint for the anointed one. Ha! Ha!
06:52 AM
old dog says
THAT IS GREAT NEWS!!
BUT, they need to focus more on hiring full time employees rather like everyone else, hiring temps. The temps have limited work hours,and no benefits. The average temp working 20 some hrs. makes a little above unemployment wages when you add it all up.. But at least they have a job! Being a long time retired employee there, I see more temps being hired rather than full time employees. By hiring full time people, the company would boost their image in the area and possibly boost the other companies in our area to do the same.
06:28 AM
inquiringmind says
Great news! Now if only other manufacturers in the area could get more business. It doesn't always have to be about "new" business, but maintaining and increasing our present ones.