Thanks to Congressman Norman for standing up for SC manufacturing

South Carolina has become a magnet for direct foreign investment, and it is in that environment where we are particularly grateful for U.S. Rep. Ralph Norman’s support of one of our newest corporate citizens.

Samsung recently announced that it will create 950 manufacturing jobs in Newberry, particularly welcome news for its new home, a recently shuttered Caterpillar plant. This investment represents yet another foreign company’s confidence in the business climate of South Carolina. There is, though, a potential cloud on the horizon.

A pending dispute involving U.S. appliance giant Whirlpool and Korea’s Samsung and LG would abuse our trade laws in a way that could cost jobs in South Carolina. Whirlpool wants the International Trade Commission to recommend that President Trump impose import restrictions on appliances, along with a number of related Samsung parts. Should Whirlpool prevail, South Carolina could pay a steep price, as it could jeopardize the Samsung investment. For perspective, never forget that Whirlpool’s affiliated company, Maytag, abandoned Florence County in 2005. Samsung is here to create jobs.

Recently, Norman signed a letter to the commission warning that a decision to curtail imports could jeopardize Samsung’s pending investment in our state. He recognizes that we live in a global economy and that Samsung’s Newberry investment is good for his constituents. It is a good sign when policymakers like Congressman Norman understand the fundamentals of job creation.

This story was originally published October 18, 2017 at 4:35 PM with the headline "Thanks to Congressman Norman for standing up for SC manufacturing."