LEE-ROWAN INVESTS IN JACKSON; BANDS PLAY ON: COMPANY'S DECISION STRENGTHENS ALREADY THRIVING OPERATION

Lee-Rowan Co.'s transfer of its St. Louis manufacturing operation to its plant in Jackson illustrates the confidence the company obviously has in the Cape Girardeau County community, its services and work force.

Lee-Rowan, which manufactures and distributes home organizational products at its headquarters in St. Louis and at Jackson, announced last week it will close the St. Louis facility, and the 300 to 400 workers there will be given an opportunity to stay with the company and work at Jackson. Lee-Rowan plans to have equipment from its St. Louis facility in the Jackson plant by Sept. 30.

It is difficult to speculate how many Lee-Rowan employees will accept the transfer offer, but many most likely will. They will join an established and dedicated work force of approximately 1,200 people who have helped make Lee-Rowan one of Cape Girardeau County's largest manufacturing operations.

The future looks bright for the 55-year-old company, which has had such customers as Sears, Roebuck and Co. and J.C. Penney Co. Inc. as customers for a half century. Lee-Rowan has captured a new major account in Lowe's Companies Inc., which operates 325 stores in 20 states, including a new store in Cape Girardeau. The Jackson plant will be making a wire product calles a space solver and a few other items for Lowe's stores throughout the country.

Jackson, which experienced significant population growth between 1980 and 1990, can be proud that Lee-Rowan chose to beef up its operations there. It will bring even more people to town, assuring continued growth in Jackson during the last decade of this century.