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Article published Aug 19, 2005

Company moving jobs from Pickens to China


The Associated Press

A company that makes lawn and garden tools in Pickens is moving its manufacturing operations to China to save money.

Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd. is taking 320 job to Asia, a company spokesman said Thursday.

"It's about global positioning of resources, and trying to be able to compete with the lowest price, and it can be manufactured there less expensively," spokesman Mark Eber said.

He said 146 employees will stay in Pickens to refurbish tools returned by consumers.

The layoffs should be complete it by December, Eber said.

The plant assembles string trimmers and produces leaf blowers and chain saws sold under the Ryobi and Homelite brands.

Techtronic, of Hong Kong, acquired the Pickens plant and a power tool sales, marketing and distribution center in Anderson from Ryobi Ltd., of Japan, in 2000.

Techtronic continues to operate the Anderson facility and employs about 750 full-time employees there, Eber said.

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Information from: The Greenville News,