Blount Co. pushes to bring in businesses, despite massive job loss

Blount Co. pushes to bring in businesses, despite massive job loss

By WHITNEY HOLMES
6 News Anchor/Reporter

MARYVILLE (WATE) -- Blount County's economy has taken one hit after another recently, including layoffs at Rubbermaid, Alcoa, Clayton Homes and now furloughs at Denso.

For the first time in over a decade, the unemployment level in Blount County is higher than the state's, at 7.9 percent.

"We are in challenging times right now," says the executive vice president of Blount County's Economic Development Board, Bryan Daniels.

While the board is doing what it can to keep existing businesses afloat, Daniels says it has also ramped up its marketing, sending out emails, snail mail and jump drives to attract businesses.

At the news of a Volkswagen plant coming to Chattanooga, Daniels flew to Germany along with Gov. Phil Bredesen and other local leaders to lure VW suppliers.

"A lot of wonderful discussions took place and some great contacts have been made," Daniels says. "We think we're in the striking distance to locate some of the suppliers here."

When businesses like Knoxville-based ImagePoint close, the board aims to absorb the workforce. Blount County now looks to be home to about 10 of ImagePoint's competitors.

"We are seeing a lot of traction out of that. We are already seeing employees being hired. Our latest count has us at around 120 new employees (rehired from ImagePoint)," Daniels says.

Blount County is also looking toward the future, shifting away from a manufacturing-based economy to one that's knowledge-based.

Ground will be broken this fall on a giant research and development community called Pellissippi Place.

Set to be complete in 30 to 50 years, the park will house businesses that can develop technologies coming out of Oak Ridge.

"There is about $2 billion a year that come in through the Department of Energy to support Oak Ridge National Laboratory," Daniels explains. "A lot of that money is based in research developing technologies that a lot of times are put on the shelf."

Pellissippi Place is government-owned. It's a cooperative project between the cities of Alcoa and Maryville, along with Knox and Blount counties.

Blount County is one of just two Tennessee counties with overseas offices that aim to bring in international business.

While many companies have put plans on hold until the economic climate changes, Daniels says he believes those plans will move ahead soon.

"We hope to bottom out in 2009 third or fourth quarter and in 2010, we will begin to see some job growth," Daniels says.

The Economic Development Board is a product of Blount Partnership which includes the Blount County Chamber of Commerce, Smoky Mountain Convention and Visitor's Bureau, Chamber Foundation and Economic Development Board.