News Article
Obama hails Cree at Durham LED manufacturing plant
The president told Cree employees, “You're helping to lead a clean energy revolution. You're helping lead the comeback of American manufacturing. This is a company where the future will be won.”
President Barack Obama visited LED manufacturer Cree on Monday, June 13, 2011, touring its Durham, N.C. manufacturing facilities and speaking with Cree employees and other guests.
During his visit, Obama met with his Jobs and Competitiveness Council to discuss initiatives and policies to spur economic growth, promote job creation and accelerate hiring across the United States.
Obama made remarks to a crowd that included Senator Kay Hagan, Representatives David Price, Brad Miller, G.K. Butterfield and other local and state leaders as well as hundreds of Cree employees. He stated, "So today the small business that a group of N.C. State engineering students founded almost 25 years ago is a global company…Next month, your new production line will begin running 24/7. So you're helping to lead a clean energy revolution. You're helping lead the comeback of American manufacturing. This is a company where the future will be won."
Cree currently employs over 5,000 employees globally, keeping pace with a growing international market for energy-efficient LED lighting. Most recently, Cree has added LED fixture manufacturing lines in Durham, N.C.
President Obama joined Cree CEO Chuck Swoboda on a tour of these new production lines, which include one of the world’s most efficient troffers, the CR series. These new lights are designed to replace fluorescent troffer lighting commonly seen in office and other commercial buildings, delivering higher quality light and increased efficiency at prices comparable to their fluorescent counterparts.
"President Obama's visit yesterday highlighted topics critical to the success of the LED lighting revolution, including workforce training and education," said Swoboda. "Cree remains committed to innovating, growing and successfully addressing the global appetite for energy-efficient technologies."
