Local Industries Recognized for Job Fair Participation

August 1, 2019

Media Contact 803.425.1500
Lauren Branham Reeder
Economic Development Marketing Manager & Kershaw County PIO
Lauren.reeder@kershaw.sc.gov

Kershaw County, SC – Seven local industries were recently recognized for their support during a recent Kershaw County Industrial Association Meeting. Cogsdill Tool Products, Suominen Corporation, Hengst of North America, Conner Industries, Cardinal Health, Oak Mitsui, and Cal-Maine received a Certificate of Appreciation for participating in a private job fair for HBD Thermoid employees affected by the company’s recent closure announcement.

“This is how Kershaw County responds,” stated Stewart Kidd, Existing Industry and Workforce Development Manager for Kershaw County Economic Development. “We reached out to HBD Thermoid immediately after receiving the WARN notice from The South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce to find out what we could do to help their employees find other employment within our community. Kershaw County’s industries rallied around Thermoid and were committed to helping.”

During the job fair, industries were able to provide information about their company and current job openings at their facility. Interested attendees were able to either interview for open positions on-site or provide contact information to the company for further discussion. 

“Our manufacturing companies and our workforce are vital to the success of Kershaw County so we wanted to do everything we could to help the affected workers find jobs,” said Peggy McLean, Kershaw County Economic Development Director. “We are pleased so many of our local industries participated and showcased opportunities right here in our community.”

HBD Thermoid announced in April 2018 the closure of their Elgin facility that resulted in the layoff of 59 employees.

Photo Caption (from left to right): Rafael Gonzalez Jr. (Suominen), Greg Robinson (Suominen), Dean Riddle (Hengst), Tracie Rice (Cogsdill Tooling), and Nate Cannon (Cogsdill Tooling).

Not Pictured: Conner Industries, Cardinal Health, Oak Mitsui, and Cal-Maine.

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