Letter to the Editor

Letter to the Editor

In a time when Americans are seeing manufacturing jobs move overseas, Arkansas can be proud to be the exception.

With the support of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission and the City of West Memphis, Sediver recently broke ground on its new $10 million North American headquarters in Crittenden County that will employ more than 70 people by early 2017. This facility will host manufacturing operations for our toughened glass insulators, and an advanced testing laboratory and technical training center that will serve electric utilities across the United States.

Sediver’s decision to return operations to the United States and open a manufacturing plant in Arkansas was bolstered by the opportunities brought forth by the Plains & Eastern Clean Line transmission project, which recently received approval from the US Department of Energy. Clean Line made it clear that it was of paramount importance to source key products from states where their project would be built. They strongly recommended Arkansas and Sediver selected West Memphis for its logistical advantage, qualified work force and excellence of local training colleges.

By investing $500 million in Arkansas, Clean Line is creating local jobs in addition to bringing clean energy to more than 160,000 homes every year – twice the amount of wind power currently available in Arkansas. We encourage Arkansans to support the Plains & Eastern Clean Line project because of the wide reaching and permanent benefits that will touch so many families across the state for decades to come.

Allen Young CFO, Sediver USA Inc.

To the Editor: