The State’s Rock Hill Bureau

ROCK HILL – State Senator John C. West of Kershaw says chances are “very good” that the Elgin Watch Company will move its entire operation to South Carolina from Illinois.

West made the prediction Monday night during an address to the Rock HIll Evening Optimist Club.

“Phase two of a worker training program at the company’s plant at Elgin (formerly Blaney) begins in January.” he said. “A third phase is already in the planning state.”

“I don’t think there is any question but that the company will eventually move everything to South Carolina.”

West said it was the state’s technical training program that first encouraged the Elgin Company to locate a plant in Kershaw County.

“The state development board promised it would be making money two weeks after the plant opened.

“It did better than that.” West said. “A training program was set up at Elgin and 1,000 ladies’ watches were turned out before the plant ever opened. As a result the company was making money two days after it began production.”