Meritor welcomes CEO

Meritor Chairman of the Board, CEO and President Charles G. “Chip” McClure and other members of the corporate staff visited the company’s Manning location for the first time on Feb. 15.

Arvin-Meritor opened its Manning facility in 1998.

Last year, the company sold its automotive business, Arvin, and kept its core business, drive line mobility and breaking solutions.

“The transformation that began one year ago is now essentially complete,” McClure told more than 60 of the company’s employees who had gathered in the facility’s break room.

McClure thanked Manning’s employees for a “job well done.”

Meritor’s president told the group that the company had seen a 30 percent increase in sales last year thanks to dedicated employees like those in the Manning plant.

“As I walked the line today, you can see the focus on quality,” he told the employees. “Your plant, which is one of our smaller ones, has garnered more industry awards than any other, and that says a lot about the quality and strength of your work you put in each and every day.”

McClure also thanked the Manning employees for their commitment to the community in particularly the company’s Relay for Life team.

Timothy E. Bowes, president and executive officer of Meritor’s commercial trucks division, told the group that his job is to focus on three areas: pricing for value, capacity so Meritor has the right equipment and the right resources to meet customer expectations and consolidate the footprint.

Bowes also assured the company’s Manning employees that the market continues to look strong for their product.

“We see the market to be strong in the United States,” Bowes said. “The truck market continues to be very strong.”

Rep. Kevin Johnson, along with Clarendon County Development Board Chairman Blake Gibbons, executive director of the CCDB John Truluck, chairman of Clarendon County Council Dwight Stewart and County Administrator Bill Houser were on hand to welcome the corporate team to Clarendon County.

Following the meeting, Truluck said Meritor is currently one of the county’s largest employers.

“A lot of our residents work here,” Truluck said. “They are involved in the community in charities and schools. They play a key role in all aspects of the county.”