by Xinhua writers Li Ming, Pan Lijun
COLUMBIA, the United States, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Born and raised in Alabama, Al Leftwich had never thought of leaving his home state. But one day in April this year, he and his family packed up their whole life and drove northeast to Columbia, capital of South Carolina.
The reason? He had decided to join a fledgling company, China Jushi USA Corporation.
A MUCH-NEEDED ANCHOR
"A big decision to move here, but I am very happy," the 51-year-old said, as he stood at Jushi's dusty construction site with a safety vest and a helmet on.
The company covered his relocation fee and made him the leader of the plant's safety program, which Leftwich saw as an advancement in his career.
Jushi, meaning "giant stone" in Chinese, is the second largest fiberglass supplier in North America.
Started in Zhejiang, China, 25 years ago, the company is now establishing its first U.S. manufacturing plant in the Pineview Industrial Park in Richland County.
As the first tenant in the industrial park, Jushi USA plans to invest 300 million U.S. dollars and hire 400 workers once it is in full operation at the end of 2018.
By 2021, it plans to build an identical plant that will employ another 400.
Local officials called the announcement the biggest in Richland since 1981. "We would consider the project very significant," Nelson Lindsay, director of global business development at the South Carolina Department of Commerce, told Xinhua.
Jushi's anchoring was "extremely needed to kickstart the development of the park," he said.
STARTING FROM SCRATCH
Leftwich, along with his 40 colleagues, are now working against the clock to build the Jushi facility from scratch.
Henry Briggman, a newly-hired fabrication leader for the plant, is among the workers recruited from local firms.
"The reason I came here was because I can have a chance to start at (the) beginning and put my name on the (foundation)," Briggman said, laughing and pointing at the ground.
The production line is expected to annually produce 80,000 tons of fiberglass roving and chopped glass fiber, a composite material widely used in aerospace, automobile and electronics.
"The U.S. began to de-industrialize from the end of 1970s-1980s. Many of their equipment, software, and raw materials are relatively old," company CEO Wu Qing said.
"We are very confident of our own technology. We engage in artificial intelligence development, using cutting-edge technologies and software," he added.
In 2017, Jushi's fiberglass technology won the second prize at the National Science and Technology Progress Award, the top science award in China.
OVERCOMING CULTURAL BARRIERS
With the U.S. labor market tightening, Jushi USA's hiring process was not roses all the way.
The country's job growth accelerated earlier this year and the unemployment rate dropped to an 18-year low of 3.8 percent.
For manufactures in the southern states, experienced workers like Leftwich and Briggman were extremely difficult to attract.
"The market is tough. We have a lot of competition," Jushi USA's President Drew Walker told Xinhua. "So we focused on making salaries or benefits and (the) work environment as attractive as possible."
The company is also trying to overcome the cultural barriers that might exist between workers from various backgrounds, according to Walker, who is British and joined Jushi two years ago.
To enhance mutual understanding, especially American workers' recognition of the company culture, all new employees will receive three to six months' job training in China.
Leftwich is on the list when the first round starts in July. He plans to travel to China with his fiancee.
"This will be my first time in China, I am looking forward to it," he said. "She's very happy and excited too, she will also get a chance to see the culture."
