Chinese Textile Firm Keer to help revive textile industry in South Carolina

Hangzhou-based Keer Group became the first Chinese textile maker to set up a subsidiary in the US 7-months ago hoping to help revive the textile industry in a community in the southeastern US state of South Carolina. Its US branch, the Keer America Corporation, is located in Lancaster County, South Carolina.

Its establishment has created a new series of job opportunities for people in the community, textile manufacturing had been a backbone industry in Lancaster County for decades.

Bob Bundy, Chair of the Lancaster County Council, said that the unemployment number during the height of the depression era or so was up in the mid-teens, like 15 percent or 16 percent, which is very, very high. It’s a fundamental thing that people need to be working and producing.

The Chinese company’s plant produces around 60 tons of yarn every day. Around 20 Chinese executives form the nucleus of the company’s leadership.

Wang Ke, plant manager, said that setting up a branch in the US not only helps lower their production costs, but also gives them access to the global market.

They are very confident in expanding their market. Keer deals with Chinese clients when they are in China. But here in the US, they have brought in an advanced management and manufacturing team, and they are ready to deal with clients from around the world.

While the management team may be prepared to deal with the international community, getting the local workforce on-board does have its challenges.

Keer America Corporation despite the challenges in the new market plans to expand its production in Lancaster County, which will mean employing more workers in the near future.