Carrier the ‘bread and butter’ for many
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The McCormicks have been down this road before. They trucked supplies and provided warehouse space for DeZurik before it closed and still own 17 acres across from that plant.
“We know how it hurts,” said Bill. “We were able to make it through DeZurik so we’ll have to make it through this too.”
Added Kirk, “It’s going to affect our business tremendously. We’re going to have to find something else to haul. But we don’t believe in laying off. We believe in looking for more work. We don’t know what we’ll do at this point, but we’ll be talking and looking.”
The McCormicks have a 95,000-square-foot warehouse just a stone’s throw from Carrier in the Mt. View Industrial Park. Close to half of that warehouse is filled with Carrier inventory.
The McCormicks haul around 20 to 30 loads a week of finished air conditioning units. The units are so big, usually only two or three can fit on the back of a flat-bed truck at a time.
In addition to finished product, the company also hauls eight loads of steel coil from Delta, Ohio to Morrison every week. The steel coils weigh around 15,000 pounds each.
Larry Rader works for the McCormicks as a trucker who makes runs back and forth to Ohio. He used to work at Carrier and his wife, Tonia, has been employed there for eight years.
“When I was at Carrier, I remember telling her that we both don’t need to work here in case something happens,” said Rader. “Now it’s not much different with her working there and me doing the trucking.”
MPC officials say sky isn’t falling
Metal Products Company has done its share of work for Carrier and owner Jim Dyer admits the local shutdown will hurt. But Dyer wanted to emphasize a message of optimism to accompany the onslaught of bad news.
“I’m not going to make an appointment with Dr. Kavorkian,” said Dyer. “We’ve had our business go up and down with Carrier over the years and have always recognized this as a possibility. We haven’t put all our eggs in the Carrier basket. This doesn’t threaten our very existence.”
Dyer said MPC has a number of dependable customers – and has even done metal fabricating work for Carrier plants other than the one in Morrison. He didn’t have reason to believe his work for other Carrier facilities would stop because the local plant will close.
MPC employs around 90 at three locations in McMinnville: Garfield Street, Bell Street and Enterprise Lane. Jim’s father founded MPC in Nashville in 1947, and production has taken place in McMinnville for the last 15 years.
MPC has invested several million dollars in new equipment technology over the last five years and that will help reduce sheet metal processing costs over the longer term.
One of Dyer’s top concerns is for American manufacturing to compete globally. That concern is evident – especially locally – because so many of our factories have moved production south of the border. Carrier, for example, indicated it’s moving production lines in Warren County to Monterrey, Mexico.
“We can get through this as a county, and MPC is going to get through this,” said Dyer. “We were in business for 35 years before we ever did any work for Carrier and we’ll be in business after they’re gone.”
Added MPC plant manager James Carney, “Even though the candle has dimmed a bit, we look at this as another opportunity to go after more work.”
Martin Crating boxed in a corner
The tone isn’t as perky at Martin Crating, which has thrived in Warren County for the last 31 years. Martin Crating provides its 24 employees with good-paying jobs thanks largely to Carrier.
“Carrier is 99 percent of my business,” said Eddie Martin, who owns the company with his brother, Tim. “People have always asked if I’m worried because I’m a one-horse wagon. And yes, we’re worried. But when Carrier is going well it’s all this mind can handle.”
Martin Crating was founded in January of 1973 by Eddie and Tim’s father, Frank, and their brother, James. Since 1991, Martin Crating has been the sole supplier of crating to Carrier.
“I was always afraid someone might come in and undercut our prices,” said Eddie. “I’ve always told Carrier we’re not the cheapest, but we’re the best.”
Tim said their relationship with Carrier has worked well for both sides and he still anticipates steady business in the next year to 18 months.
“I wish it could have gone on for another 30 years,” said Tim. “But we still hope to do a good bit of business with Carrier through 2005.”
Martin Crating sends trucks to Carrier seven or eight times a day and it’s a promising sign that Carrier placed another order this week. Eddie says he is confident he can round up more work, but the trouble is finding the time. He says keeping up with Carrier’s workload makes it hard enough to catch his breath now.
“We’ll have to do something and I’ll have to do something,” said Eddie. “I’m just 49 years old and have a daughter in college. I can’t retire. If I would have known about this 10 years ago, I might could have planned better.”
Tim said several business prospects have already surfaced and is confident Martin Crating will be able to locate more customers.
“It’s only been four days and we’ve already heard a few things,” said Tim. “We’re still thinking and trying to figure out what to do. Who knows what will be available a year down the road.”
Prater’s BBQ will keep cooking
From the front deck of Prater’s BBQ, the sign for United Technologies Carrier is clearly visible. Restaurant owner and County Commissioner Gary Prater estimates he feeds an average of 100 Carrier employees a day – and that’s just for lunch.
“People don’t know how this is going to hit Warren County,” said Prater. “It’s going to hit everybody.”
Prater expects his retail business to dip once Carrier leaves. He was quick to add he sells a lot of BBQ to Calsonic employees and also gets a plenty of business from customers driving by on the four-lane.
Prater said he had plans to expand his restaurant in the near future. He was going to turn his kitchen into a dining area and do some remodeling. But with an uncertain future, he says those plans are on hold for now.
“You have people who work out there with big car payments and big house payments and this is going to bankrupt them,” said Prater.