2015年CRI Chinese Textile Company Becomes an Important Job Source for Local Americans

 

Hangzhou-based Keer Group became the first Chinese textile maker¹ to set up a subsidiary in the US 7-months ago.

Its US branch, the Keer America Corporation, is located in Lancaster County, South Carolina.

Its establishment has created a new series of job opportunities for people in the community.

"Because I have a kid and a part-time job. And that doesn't work out so well"

"This plant is a lot cleaner, a lot cleaner."

Textile manufacturing had been a backbone² industry in Lancaster County for decades.

However, that ended 8-years ago when local textile giant Springs Mills went bankrupt after 120 years of operation, leaving thousands unemployed³.

Bob Bundy, Chair of the Lancaster County Council, says getting people back to work is critical.

"The unemployment number during the height of the depression era or so was up in the mid-teens, like 15 percent or 16 percent, which is very, very high. I think it's a fundamental thing that people need to be working and producing."

The Chinese company's plant produces around 60 tons of yarn⁴ every day.

Around 20 Chinese executives form the nucleus⁵ of the company's leadership.

Wang Ke, plant manager, says setting up a branch in the US not only helps lower their production costs, but also gives them access to the global market.

"We are very confident in expanding our market. Keer deals with Chinese clients when we are in China. But here in the US, we've brought in an advanced management and manufacturing team, and we're ready to deal with clients from around the world."

While the management team may be prepared to deal with the international community, getting the local workforce⁶ on-board does have its challenges.

Otis Perkins is a workshop director for Keer America Corporation.

"Where they work, company comes first over everything. Unfortunately, some Americans don't think that way, they think of their life, their kids, their children and that comes first. And then the company."

Despite the challenges in the new market, Keer America Corporation still has plans to expand its production in Lancaster County, which will mean employing more workers in the near future.

1 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

2 backbone   

n.脊骨，脊柱，骨干；刚毅，骨气

参考例句：

• The Chinese people have backbone.中国人民有骨气。
• The backbone is an articulate structure.脊椎骨是一种关节相连的结构。

3 unemployed   

adj.失业的，没有工作的；未动用的，闲置的

参考例句：

• There are now over four million unemployed workers in this country.这个国家现有四百万失业人员。
• The unemployed hunger for jobs.失业者渴望得到工作。

4 yarn   

n.纱，纱线，纺线；奇闻漫谈，旅行轶事

参考例句：

• I stopped to have a yarn with him.我停下来跟他聊天。
• The basic structural unit of yarn is the fiber.纤维是纱的基本结构单元。

5 nucleus   

n.核，核心，原子核

参考例句：

• These young people formed the nucleus of the club.这些年轻人成了俱乐部的核心。
• These councils would form the nucleus of a future regime.这些委员会将成为一个未来政权的核心。

6 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。