Industry

"Jobs will bring other changes."
-Resident

Over the past two decades, there has been a national decline in number of textile mills. Unfortunately, Robbins was not immune to this trend. The changing face of industry in Robbins has been a topic of concern for many residents. In the past, the community has relied on the area mills to provide a great number of jobs for Robbins residents. The closing of the Ithaca plant and the Robbins mill has forced the residents to seek ways of marshaling industry, jobs, and revenue back into the community. During the community forum, residents discussed this issue extensively and identified barriers and solutions for recruiting industry to Robbins.

In assessing the presence of industry in the Robbins area, residents were very familiar with Perdue, Klaussner, and Candor Hosiery. While these companies were able to help increase the number of jobs in the area, residents expressed a need to recruit technological industries to counteract the dying textile industry in the area. One resident argued that the community, "should try to attract industries that feed and support other industry." Another resident suggested that the Robbins community, "identify growing industry, and teach the new job skills necessary to do those jobs in the schools and the community college." The introduction of new high-tech classes in the schools and community college was a suggestion offered in response to the "people" aspect of industry recruitment. Residents believed that assuring the industries of the availability of skilled workers would give them more incentive to move to Robbins.

Robbins residents also viewed an immense need to bring more skilled and/or specialized jobs into the community. It has been mentioned that youth tend to leave Robbins after they graduate from high school, and the lack of available jobs has been suspected as the probable cause. A community member said, "I think…our biggest improvement…would be to bring more technologies [in order] to keep more of our young people." This community member, as did several other residents, thought Robbins would have to find jobs that were able to compete with those of larger cities in order to persuade the younger generations to view returning to settle down in Robbins as an option.

There were several barriers to increasing industry and jobs in Robbins. "Industry looks at water and sewage and people before they decide to locate," said one community member. The water and sewage issue has been an ongoing debate in Moore County. Residents noted that it would be hard to attract industry without a countywide water and sewage system. In fact, one resident stated, "not having a countywide water and sewage system hurts us." They also saw good highway access and increasing public transportation throughout the county as ways of overcoming obstacles in recruitment.

The topic of tourism was also mentioned as a barrier. "The tourist industry has hurt other industries in the county." Some residents thought that it would be a good idea to try to tap into the booming pottery industry in the area. One resident felt that, "bringing pottery to Robbins might help." An older resident even came up with a new town logo: "Robbins: Gateway to Pottery." Others suggested that store owners rent space to local potters to display their work.

The community has joined in alliance with the Chamber of Commerce in hopes of addressing these issues. During the community forum, members stated that if such a partnership turns out to be unfruitful, then Robbins would have to start on its own course of action. Some members suggested the formation of a committee to address industry recruitment. One resident responded, "local committees are always a good thing." There were further suggestions to coordinate the committee through the town council and to identify community members with the initiative to take on such a task.

The industry recruitment issue is so intimately tied to many other community concerns, that a positive change in the current situation would inevitably lead to positive changes in youth retention, skilled job provisions, and town revitalization. It is apparent that residents think that industry is an integral component to the town's livelihood, and thp>e community is ready to initiate change towards strengthening their industrial base.

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