Covidien deal “a glimmer of hope”

The news reported today by wire services and others that a deal is in the works for a takeover of Covidien is perceived by an Oconee County official as “a glimmer of hope” that the company’s earlier decision to eventually close its plant near Seneca might be reversed or modified in some way. Richard Blackwell of the Oconee Economic Alliance says he his office has already started talking with officials of the Covidien plant near Seneca to learn more—as well as contacts with South Carolina’s elected leaders in Washington to see if there is potential help from them. Since its announcement of two years ago, Covidien has downsized its Seneca operations in an anticipation of the plant’s relocation to Costa Rica—although the Seneca plant is still operating with about 100 workers. Not lost on Blackwell is that, if the deal goes thru, the new company would be a Midwest U-S company in place of the Ireland base of Covidien. And that, according to Blackwell, might bode well for keeping Covidien jobs here.