McKenzie manufacturing plant to shut its doors
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McKENZIE, Tenn. — A manufacturing plant in one West Tennessee city is shutting down just as it was getting ready to expand. Machinery is still running at Swan Products in McKenzie, and their warehouse is still full. But soon, this buzzing facility will be shut down. “What is contributing to their closure is the fact that they lost their share of the market in the northeast,” said McKenzie Industrial Board Director Billy Barksdale. Swan produces gardening and industrial hoses and employs around 40 workers, all of whom will lose their jobs. “I’m shocked,” resident Michael Jewell said. “It’s bad enough around here as it is.” City officials said they were in the middle of negotiations with executives from Swan to move from their current location to a brand-new location in McKenzie, expanding their operations. Now all of that is off the table. “That was pretty tough,” Barksdale said. “Thinking that you might be expanding, then all of a sudden you’re actually going to lose the facility.” Barksdale runs the city’s industrial board and said he is committed to getting these laid-off employees back to work. “We would like to see them stay here in McKenzie and Carroll County,” Barksdale said. “Our biggest job now is trying to find a place for these people to get employed.” Residents said new industry is desperately needed. “Maybe the mayor or the governor can drum up some big business to come here and put something in,” resident Micheal Jewell said. “They need to help the local people out.” There is no word yet on what day the plant will officially close. We reached out to Swan executives for comment on the closure, but calls to WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News were not returned.
