Rubbermaid's comeback

There's scarcely a town of any size in America that isn't actively seeking to build its economic base by attracting new businesses and industries while working to make existing enterprises grow.

And communities that have a solid industrial base count themselves lucky, all the while knowing that keeping a business in town takes as much hard work as getting a new business to come in.

One example of how a major overhaul saved a local plant came recently when community leaders were invited to tour the Rubbermaid plant in Jackson and hear the story of changes that made the plant efficient enough to consider new product lines.

Transforming the plant into a viable operation wasn't easy or quick. The work force was cut to 435 from 760. A huge excess inventory was eliminated. Operations were streamlined into what one member of the plant's leadership team called a "lean environment."

Now the plant faces the task of building new markets for its wire and wood shelving products that have become so popular among home and apartment dwellers who want better organization for all the things they have and use.

Top plant officials were optimistic during the tour and briefing. This should come as good news for employees and for the Jackson community.

As Mitch Robinson of the Cape Girardeau Area MAGNET put it: "They're just doing what all American companies are in the process of doing in today's marketplace -- they're working smarter and more efficient."