Hollister
– San Benito County is enjoying a stretch of some of its lowest
monthly unemployment rates in more than a decade.
Hollister – San Benito County is enjoying a stretch of some of its lowest monthly unemployment rates in more than a decade.
According to California’s Employment Development Department, the county’s jobless rate of 5.7 percent last month was the second lowest for the month of November in the last 16 years. Only November of 2000, when the county’s unemployment rate reached 5.4 percent, was lower, according to the EDD. A year ago, the local unemployment rate was 6.7 percent.
Since November of 2005, San Benito’s labor force has grown by about 100 people to 24,900 workers, and the county has 300 more jobs than it did one year ago.
Al Martinez, executive director of the Hollister-based Economic Development Corporation, said the low rates are due in part to a reemerging Silicon Valley economy and strong national and statewide economies.
“We have some companies that seem to be doing pretty well,” Martinez said.
Martinez mentioned Milgard Windows, Corbin Motors and Marich Confectionary as local companies that are having an effect on the unemployment rate. Marich Confectionary co-owner Brad van Dam said the company has expanded and is in the midst of its busy season.
“We’re kind of at the crux of several seasons,” van Dam said. “We just finished the mad panic of Christmas, we’re trying to get Valentine’s Day out the door and we’re getting a head start on Easter.”
Marich Confectionary this year added 20,000 square feet to its production building, bringing the total floor space to 75,000 square feet, van Dam said. At the same time, the company added 12 positions, increasing full-time personnel 17 percent, he said
The 40,000 to 50,000 pounds of candy per day keeps Marich Confectionary busy enough to keep an average of 100 temporary workers on staff, van Dam said.
This year the company has been busier than usual.
“A lot of projects came through that we didn’t think were going to,” van Dam said. “It’s a nice problem to have.”
More and more people are buying high-quality chocolates, van Dam said. He compared the flavors of dark chocolate to those of red wine and the flavors of milk chocolate to those of white wine.
“The general consumer is becoming more educated about chocolate,” he said.
Marich Confectionary produces 40 percent of its candy under its own brand name and 60 percent for custom orders from outside customers. The company sells its products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Australia, China and South Korea, van Dam said.
Another company experiencing a bump from outside businesses is Hollister-based Tovar Industries, Martinez said.
Tovar Industries manufactures standard custom work stations and benches for companies such as Intel and IBM, which in turn use Tovar’s products in overseas assembly plants, Martinez said.
“They’re good people, a good family business and they make fantastic products,” he said.
Tovar Industries suffered from the implosion of the Silicon Valley economy, as did many businesses in California, but has benefited from its re-emergence, Martinez said.
But experts are forecasting a strong 2007, with Silicon Valley companies adding to their work forces, Martinez said.
“And that in turn impacts everyone around,” Martinez said. “Their suppliers and everything.”
Michael Van Cassell covers public safety for the Free Lance. He can be reached at 831-637-5566 ext. 335 or
mv*********@fr***********.com
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