Governor Bev Perdue and Lenovo, the world’s second-largest personal computer vendor, announced today (Oct. 2) the company will build a U.S. personal computer manufacturing line in Whitsett, near Greensboro. The announcement defies a trend that has seen electronics manufacturing jobs migrate overseas for more than two decades. As part of the expansion, Lenovo will create 115 new manufacturing jobs where workers will build both Think-branded notebook and desktop PCs for sale to domestic business, government and education customers, as well as consumers. Senator Richard Burr, U.S. Representatives Renee Ellmers and David Price, Lenovo North America President David Schmoock and Vice President and General Manager Tom Looney, and N.C. Department of Commerce Secretary Keith Crisco were also at the press conference.
The new U.S. PC manufacturing line currently is under construction and will open in early 2013. It will reside within Lenovo’s recently expanded, 240,000-square-foot U.S. distribution center in Whitsett. Hiring for the manufacturing and related positions will begin later this year.
The U.S. manufacturing line will be capable of turning out some of Lenovo’s newest and most innovative products, such as the recently announced ThinkCentre M92p Tiny Desktop and ThinkPad Tablet 2. Lenovo believes that having a manufacturing component in the U.S. can provide the capability to deliver products to customers more quickly and reliably in many situations, while offering an even broader and more valuable set of PC-related services. Read more.
Lenovo expanding in Guilford County (The News & Observer – Raleigh, Oct. 1)