Mayor seeks Trump’s help to keep plant from Mexico move

By John Howell
Batesville Mayor Jerry Autrey said Wednesday that he is attempting to contact officials of President-elect Donald Trump’s administration for help in reversing Batesville Casket Company’s decision to close its Panola Plant and move operations to Mexico.
Batesville Casket Company announced last month that it would close its Batesville, Mississippi wood casket manufacturing operation, laying off over 200 workers, down from a peak of 400 to 500.
Though its announcement cited decreased demand for traditional funerals, the move had been anticipated by Panola County economic development and government officials and by the industry’s local employees ever since the company built a wood casket manufacturing facility in Chihuahua, Mexico and began to bring workers from that facility to train at its Panola Plant.
Autrey said that although he had begun making phone calls before the incoming administration announced successful negotiations with Carrier Corporation to reverse its decision to move 1,000 manufacturing jobs from Indianapolis, Indiana to Mexico, the announcement gave him encouragement.
Batesville Casket Company is a subsidiary of Hillenbrand Industries, an Indiana Corporation.
Autrey said that he has thus far spoken with Mississippi Republican Party Chairman Joe Nosef, among others, for contact information that will allow him to speak to officials of the new administration.