Local IL-17 Manufacturer Leaves, Where's Bustos?
Press Release
According to Sauk Valley News, Anchor Coupling, a local manufacturer and supplier of hydraulic hose assemblies, will be closing down its plants in Sterling and Dixon and moving to Michigan. The closures will impact 170 full-time employees. Caterpillar, which owns Anchor Coupling, made the decision after "a yearlong consolidation study" according to the report.
Caterpillar has publicly advocated for a better business climate for Illinois in the past in an effort to prevent closures. In 2011, Doug Oberhelman, CEO of Caterpillar, wrote a letter to Governor Pat Quinn (D-Illinois) suggesting that Caterpillar would consider relocation if things didn't improve quickly.
Jon Schweppe, communications director at Bobby Schilling for Congress, said that Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-East Moline) needs to step up and lead to prevent closures like this from happening.
"Where was incumbent Congresswoman Bustos on this? Another business is leaving the state of Illinois, and we haven't heard a word from our Congresswoman. Bustos pays a lot of lip service to manufacturing--she often talks about how she invented a 'magical manufacturing triangle' that was supposed to build manufacturing in our district--but now we're seeing another manufacturer leave. Congresswoman Bustos talks a lot, but voters aren't happy with the results.
"One hundred seventy full-time workers are being impacted by this move, many of whom will lose their jobs. Congresswoman Bustos said nothing and did nothing. It's clear that Bobby Schilling is the better choice for jobs in our area, the better choice to grow the economy, and the better choice for the middle class."
Bobby Schilling (R-Colona) was born and raised in Rock Island, Illinois. He has been married to his wife, Christie for 27 years and together they have 10 children. Schilling represented the Illinois 17th District in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011-2012, serving on the House Armed Services Committee, the House Agriculture Committee, and the House Small Business Committee. Schilling is seeking another term and is running against incumbent Congresswoman Cheri Bustos.
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