The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

Local News

Related Photos

  • A backhoe operator on the west end of the former Long Manufacturing property digs up pieces of rusted rail that had become buried on the property. A few piles of rubble remain on the property, which once held more than 250,000 square feet of manufacturing space and employed more than 1,100 workers.

    USE Long mfg 2.jpg
June 28, 2012

Long Manufacturing reduced to scattered piles of rubble

Editor and Publisher John H. Walker

TARBORO — What took decades to build was torn down in less than 90 days, save the former corporate office of Long Manufacturing.

Advanced Demolition and Recycling of Raleigh is in the final stages of scavenging the property — with a backhoe operating near the rear gate on Cedar Street and digging up long-rusted pieces of rail.

No longer useful for an active rail spur, the heavy steel will fetch a pretty penny.

Rogers, Ark.-based Montana Tractors purchased the facility in November 2008 for $14.1 million and now pays taxes on a property assessed at $1,399,979.

Now that the buildings have been torn down, all that stands between Montana Tractor and the tax savings on $1,141,379 in assessed bulding value is a property reassessment.

The dismantling of the property has been so thorough that a Montana sign located near the corner of Fairview and Main was removed — but the FarmTrac sign it covered was left behind.

At one time, as recently as the 1970s, the company founded by William “Bill” Long, employed 1,100 workers in Tarboro and another 400 in Davenport, Iowa, but times got tough down on the farm.

By 1980, with the plight of the American farmer in what looked to be a death spiral at the time, employment dropped to 750 and then, by the time four creditors filed a petition in U.S. Bankruptcy Court asking the company be placed in bankruptcy, the workforce was down to 400.

Long emerged from bankruptcy in 1987 and became Long Agribusiness and in 1998, was purchased by the Escorts Group of Faridabad, India. Escorts was a leading engineering conglomerate that focused on agrimachinery, construction and material handling equipment, railway equipment and automobile components.

Escorts dropped the Long name in favor of Farmtrac.

In January 2008, Farmtrac officials told employees the operation was being temporarily shut down.

Alton Cobb, Jr., vice president and CFO of Farmtrac North America, said employees were being sent home for two to three weeks “while we get some clarity” on the future of some 180 workers at the facility.

Prior to that, Montana’s name had begun to surface with regularity as the firm noted in January 2006 that it had purchased 80 acres of land in Tarboro. Also, Montana announced it had presented a letter of intent to purchase a minority stake in the company that owned 51 percent of Farmtrac.

In January 2009, Montana Tractors purchased Farmtrac and in November 2010, announced it was shuttering its Tarboro facility effective Dec. 24.

The peak employment for the company in Tarboro is thought to have been around 35 persons.





 

Text Only
Local News
  • ACT_award_5-21-13.jpg Edgecombe Community College receives national award

    Edgecombe Community College (ECC) received a national award Tuesday night for its efforts to prepare students to be successful in careers and the workplace.
    Edgecombe was among four honorees that received national awards in Washington, D.C., during a gala that concluded ACT’s inaugural College and Career Readiness Campaign.

    May 24, 2013 1 Photo

  • image.jpg County gospel choir to celebrate 20th anniversary

    The Edgecombe County High School Gospel Choir, under the direction of founder Kristian Herring, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a live concert Sunday.
    “You will hear some traditional choral music, energetic spirituals, traditional and contemporary gospel,” said Antonio Suggs, choir advisor.

    May 24, 2013 1 Photo

  • Gas-Graphic.jpg Gas prices in Tarboro lower than state average

    With Memorial Day Weekend around the corner, travelers on U.S. 64 exiting  into Tarboro could discover some of the cheapest gas in North Carolina.
    On Wednesday, Murphy Express reported the cheapest gas at $3.35 while Hadi's, Raceway and Hess prices were one cent higher.

    May 23, 2013 1 Photo

  • UnitedWay.jpg Tar River United Way recognizes ‘community champions’

    “Be the change” was the theme of a United Way Tar River Region luncheon Wednesday at The Gateway Convention Center in Rocky Mount. United Way TRR recognized “community champions,” celebrated the success of its 2012 fundraising campaign and encouraged volunteers and partner agencies to “be the change” they want to see in the community.

    May 23, 2013 1 Photo

  • AIB.jpg America in Bloom judges’ visit Tarboro next month

    Tarboro’s America in Bloom (AIB) steering committee is gearing up for the AIB judges’ visit to town next month. AIB is a national non-profit organization that promotes “beautification through education and community involvement.”
    “Please join us as Tarboro prepares for the visit of national AIB judges on June 17 and 18,” said AIB co-chair Connie Sherrill in a competition planning update. “Help us bring out the beauty of our exceptional town.”

    May 22, 2013 1 Photo

  • Brown.jpg Local Principal Completes Leadership Program

    Donnell Brown, principal of Phillips Middle School, recently completed the Distinguished Leadership Program (DLP), a yearlong leadership development program for practicing school principals designed and provided by the North Carolina Principals and Assistant Principal’s Association (NCPAPA) in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and UNC-LearnNC.

    May 22, 2013 1 Photo

  • Woman faces 32 charges

    A Tarboro woman's scam has led authorities to arrest her on 28 charges.
    According to a Tarboro Police Department report, Jennifer Ann Carr, 29, 1609 Barlow Rd. Apt. 9, took out loans in the names of 16 customers of a local business from January through April. Carr was employed through a temp agency with a local business, said Tarboro Police Sgt. Al Braxton. Braxton said the total loan amount netted $4,300.  
    Carr was charged with 16 counts of identity theft and 16 counts of obtaining property by false pretenses. She was place in Edgecombe County Detention Center under a $10,000 secured bond.
     

    May 22, 2013

  • CRIME.jpg Two suspects arrested on 36 charges; third issued citation

    After executing a search warrant Thursday on a residence at 500 W. Johnston St. in Tarboro, police officers arrested two suspects for possessing a small amount of marijuana and issued a third suspect a citation for possessing a glass pipe to smoke the drugs.
    After the marijuana was found, officers notified two of the three suspects that they also had additional warrants on them from the department's "Spring Fling" drug campaign where they had sold marijuana to undercover officers.

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo

  • S.Herring.jpg Introductory Latin class beginning Tuesday

    Want a leg up in a medical terminology course? Anatomy? Physical science? Take a look at Latin, perhaps the best grounding for all education.
    Not convinced? Just ask Stephen Herring, instructor of religion, geography, and developmental studies at Edgecombe Community College (ECC). He will teach an Introductory Latin class beginning Tuesday. The class will meet at Fleming 218 on the Tarboro campus.

    May 20, 2013 1 Photo

  • DWI-Tests.jpg NTSB wants to lower DWI blood alcohol levels

    The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released a bold set of targeted interventions to put the United States on course to eliminate alcohol-impaired related crashes. They have given recommendations that call for stronger laws, swifter enforcement and expanded use of technology.

    May 17, 2013 1 Photo