Electrolux to Close Plant in Greenville

January 16, 2004

The Electrolux plant in Greenville is shutting down.

The news came down at 7:30 a.m. today and 24 Hour News 8 was there when Electrolux notified workers the company was heading south to Anderson, South Carolina and Mexico. The move will take place in 2005 when the company will slowly phase out 2,700 jobs in Greenville.

The decision comes after the city, state and union all requested an extra week to negotiate a deal that would convince the company to stay. The appliance maker says its leaving because it can save $81 million a year by moving out of town.

Greenville's Electrolux task force put together a proposal to narrow the gap that included $5.5 million in savings from suppliers who were cutting their costs, $8 million in city and state tax breaks, renaissance zone savings, even a $30 million new factory and the union yeilding $31.5 million. All told, the proposal would have saved Electrolux $74 million each year. But in the end, the proposal came up short.

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