Kevin Kotecki, president of Brach’s Confections Inc., said that “there is no opportunity for us to be successful here” (“Brach’s to begin layoffs in October,” Business, Aug. 23). This is blatantly wrong. There are many solid business imperatives for candy companies to continue to do business in Chicago.
Productivity is higher here than on the national level, investments are greater and the workforce is more highly skilled and stable than elsewhere. Chicago also has a strong supportive network of industry suppliers, distributors and transportation. The candy industry continues to show steady growth, and most of the companies in the region continue to do well, including Brach’s.
Mr. Kotecki’s other statement, that “reasons for our decision [to shut down the Chicago manufacturing plant] are beyond the control of the local community,” also is wrong. The efforts by Mayor Richard Daley, the Civic Committee, World Business Chicago, the Chicago Federation of Labor, Teamsters Local Union 738, BOLD (Building Organizations for Labor and Development), a community coalition on the West Side, and the Candy Institute to come up with creative and sound business solutions to keep the company here were all ignored.
These efforts sought solutions that would benefit the company, the employees, the community and the local economy. Brach’s path of not even considering the propositions will hurt us all and, in the end, will probably also damage the company.
It is true that the artificially high price of sugar is putting pressure on Chicago companies, but these problems are neither fatal nor unsolvable. Mayor Daley, World Business Chicago and others are actively fighting to have Congress remove the federal tariffs and quotas on sugar.
The local community can make a difference but only if a company lets it.
