记者：Chris Lusvardi
来源：www.Herald-Review.com

2008年，为了芒山附近前身PPG工业集团工厂的一份工作，凯文·索洛夫拉冒险举家搬到迪凯特地区。不久后，公司宣布闲置工厂两条玻璃生产线中的一条。据索夫拉里介绍，工厂在接下来的六年里一直前景不明，直到2014年福耀玻璃集团收购该工厂并计划投资2亿美元改造这两条生产线。

在汽车玻璃制造商福耀集团星期三为庆祝项目竣工举行的仪式上，曹德旺董事长向所有做出贡献的人表示感谢。庆典致辞嘉宾包括伊芙琳·桑吉内蒂副州长，迪凯特市市长朱莉·摩尔·沃尔夫和穆罕默德共和党州参议员夏平·罗斯。福耀玻璃伊利诺伊州工厂热端经理索洛夫拉说道：“我们不用去其他地方找机会了，这就是我们需要的。”

曹董表示项目于2015年年初动工，历时近18个月。两条生产线的竣工投产让曹董有理由满怀期望地推动这个中国公司业务的发展。

玻璃可存放在厂房的仓库区，每天有60辆卡车将玻璃运往俄亥俄州代顿市的福耀玻璃美国工厂，再从那里运交客户。

“我们为新生产打下了坚实的基础，”曹董通过翻译表示：“我们现在的目标是实现低成本高效率。我们决心帮助美国重新成为全球制造业的排头兵。”曹董表示东埃尔温路2768号工厂采用的技术来自世界各地，其中包括德国、中国和美国。

这个亲力亲为的领导人据报道是个亿万富豪。他补充道，州、县、政府官员以及前PPG管理团队的成员都为工厂的建设提供了大力支持。“前PPG员工们为实现这一目标都在勤奋工作。”

伊利诺伊州商务部部长肖恩·麦卡锡表示，伊利诺伊州协助福耀雇佣了100名前PPG员工，这些员工可以提供掌握新技术所需的机器人操作和维护技巧。据桑吉内蒂介绍，福耀的投资将为迪凯特地区和伊利诺伊州带来约300个新增就业岗位。 桑吉内蒂称，工厂每年生产的玻璃足以装备400万辆汽车，这些汽车首尾相连可绕地球一半。“升级改造工作全部完毕后，工厂就将具备这一能力，”桑吉内蒂表示。该笔投资可以提振当地经济，而这正是当地迫切需要的，摩尔·沃尔夫市长说:“这个工厂曾多年陷于困境。”他表示：“我们有许多人都害怕有一天它会撑不下去。而现在，我们拥有了最先进的设备。”为了纪念这一时刻，当地官员纷纷向曹董赠送了纪念品。他们对福耀带来的就业机会和投资表示敬意，同时希望继续与福耀保持这一合作关系。

原文：

Fuyao invests $200 million into remodeled facility

CHRIS LUSVARDI H&R Staff Writer

Oct 5, 2016

Vice president of Fuyao Group He Shimeng, left, and Chief Legal Officer Athena Hou, right, give Lt.Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti a toue of Fuyao Glass plant after a ceremony commemorating the grand re-opening of the plant with two production lines Wednesday.(Jim Bowling)
 

Kevin Solofra took a risk by moving his family to the Decatur area in 2008 for a job at the former PPG Industries plant near Mount Zion. A short time later, the company announced it was idling one of the two glass production lines at the facility. For the next six years, Solofra said the outlook was uncertain until Fuyao Glass Group purchased the plant in 2014 with plans for a $200 million remodeling project to upgrade both production lines for operation.

The completion of the project for the automotive glass maker was celebrated Wednesday during a ceremony with Fuyao Chairman Tak Wong Cho thanking those who contributed to the work. The ceremony featured speakers including Lt. Gov. Evelyn Sanguinetti, Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe and state Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet.

“We didn't have to look for an opportunity anywhere else,” said Solofra, the Fuyao Glass Illinois hot end manager. “This is exactly what was needed.”

Cho said construction started in early 2015 and took nearly 18 months to complete. Having both lines operational gives Cho reason to push the operations of the China-based company ahead with high expectations.

Glass can be stored in the warehouse portion of the building and be ready to be shipped to customers with up to 60 trucks a day taking it to the Fuyao Glass America facility in Dayton, Ohio.

“We have laid a solid foundation for new production,” Cho said through a translator. “The goal now will be to strive for high efficiency at a low cost. We're determined to help restore America's status as No. 1 in manufacturing globally.”

Technology for inside the facility at 2768 E. Elwin Road came from all over the world, including Germany, China and the United States, said Cho, a hands-on leader who is reportedly a billionaire. Support has come from state, county and government officials along with the former PPG management team, he said.

“The former PPG staff and employees have worked hard to make this happen,” Cho said.

The state assisted in retraining 100 former PPG employees to provide the robotics operation and maintenance skills needed with the new technology, said Sean McCarthy, Illinois Department of Commerce director. Fuyao's investment means the addition of about 300 jobs for the Decatur area and Illinois, Sanguinetti said.

The site will produce enough glass for 4 million vehicles per year, which Sanguinetti said would cover half the world if the cars were lined bumper to bumper.

“That's how much capacity this site will have with all the upgrades,” Sanguinetti said.

The investment provides a needed boost to the local economy, Moore Wolfe said.

“This is a plant that struggled for years,” Moore Wolfe said. “Many of us were scared it would one day go away. Instead, we now have a state-of-the-art facility.” Local officials presented Cho with several keepsakes for the company to mark the occasion, They presented a plaque to honor the jobs created and investment that was made with hopes of continuing the partnership with the company that has been established.