First Posted: 5/26/2011
FAYETTEVILLE — The DuPont Fayetteville Works manufacturing plant held a 40th anniversary party recently that attracted a congressman and DuPont’s CEO.
The visit of CEO Ellen Kullman on May 18 was a first in the history of the fast-growing manufacturing site.
“Fayetteville Works has also been successful due to the great relationship you have with the community. Your active involvement and volunteer work in helping improve the quality of life here — particularly in the area of education — it is commendable,” Kullman said
Of the more than 700 people employed at the facility, about one-third are Robeson County residents.
Plant Manager Ellis McGaughy welcomed Kullman to the anniversary celebration, held at the plant, along with U.S. Rep. Mike McIntyre.
“I congratulate the plant with their success in the last 40 years,” McIntyre said. “It has had a major impact on our community here. It has created jobs for people in the area — and we are glad to be a part of it.”
Since the Fayetteville Works plant opened in 1968, near the Bladen-Cumberland line, it has expanded to include the manufacturing of a variety of new films, fibers and specialty chemicals used by homeowners, businesses, first responders, the military and many others.
McGaughy, named site manager in November 2010, spoke of the origins of the site and its growth over the years.
“Forty years ago, when DuPont decided to expand its Butacite facility here from the original production of Butacite at the Wilmington, Del., site, some 50-plus families owned the land we purchased and had to find other places to live. We now have 2,600 acres of land to build many plants on — and we have,” McGaughy said.
Recent changes at the plant have taken a greener approach to manufacturing.
“Recently we changed our old fuel burning power house to a natural gas burning facility and we continue to believe and expect more environmental changes and products to be made at this site,” McGaughy said.
About 200 people gathered for the anniversary celebration, including N.C. Secretary of Commerce Keith Crisco.
“DuPont has been good to our state economically — by putting people to work and the large business structure DuPont has developed in the communities,” Crisco said.
The executive director of Bladen County Economical Development Commission, Chuck Huestess, also gave his congratulations to the plant.
“Thank you for choosing to come to Cumberland and Bladen counties to build. We have good people, and good people make good workers and products,” Huestess said.
Kullman also said one of the goals of DuPont is to be a safe place for people to work, as well as a good neighbor, supplier and customer.
The company highlighted many of its contributions to surrounding communities.
In the late 1980s, DuPont began a wildlife enhancement program and Fayetteville was one of three sites in the company to begin this program here. Fayetteville Works employees formed a wildlife team which constructed hedge rows and brush piles for small animal protection, and built blue bird nesting boxes. The team also planted long leaf pine trees with the help of the state, recovered a barren section of ground on the plant property by planting pine trees and conducted other activities to enhance the native wildlife.
Around 1990 the plant began to form partnerships with several local schools in Bladen, Cumberland and Robeson counties. The plant also began to sponsor DuPont University for teachers, conducting Fun with Science programs in the schools, established shadowing programs for students, and obtained community enhancement grants through corporate programs. Co-op programs for local students have also been established.
Staff writer Jenny Hayes-Carroll of the Bladen Journal contributed to this report.
