Most of the computers sold in the United States are made somewhere else in the world. That includes computers made by Lenovo. But yesterday, the computer giant announced it will soon open its first U.S. based manufacturing plant. And that plant will be in North Carolina.
Lenovo has been moving like lightening during the past 18 months. The company has gone from 400 retail stores to four-thousand. And it’s paid off quarter after quarter. David Schmook is President of Lenovo for North America.
David Schmook: We have confidence in our PC and overall North America market. I believe that this is the next step in allowing us to take the business to the next level.
Schmook spoke at the Lenovo offices in Morrisville – some fondly call it Beijing East. Beijing is where the other main offices are located. Lenovo is a 30-billion dollar personal computer company – second largest in the P-C world. Schmook says their new manufacturing plant will be in Whitsett – close to Greensboro.
David Schmook: We have brought in-house manufacturing to different countries, Japan, India, Brazil. Every time we have brought manufacturing locally it has differentiated us in the marketplace, it has fueled out success.
Richard Burr: Let me just stress, manufacturing is alive and well in North Carolina.
North Carolina U-S Senator Richard Burr was on hand to celebrate the announcement. And to celebrate the 115 jobs Lenovo says it will bring to the Triad. Governor Bev Perdue said these are the kinds of manufacturing jobs the state wants and needs.
Bev Perdue: One of our major goals has been to make things again in this great state, to manufacture things. And to think that today’s announcement highlights not just making things but making 21st century really important things.
The Whitsett plant will manufacture and expand on Lenovo’s “Think” product line – including the “Thinkpad,” notebooks, “Think” servers and “Think” tablets.
Bev Perdue: You can find Lenovo’s products anywhere, including on my desk in the Governor’s mansion (applause).
There are already about 175 Lenovo employees in Whitsett, at the company’s “full-fillment” center, where they ship out parts and products. The new manufacturing plant should be complete in January 2013.