Officials gathered near the entrance to the NSK plant to celebrate the facility with the planting of a cherry tree. From left: Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce CEO Allen Hester, Dyer County Mayor Richard Hill, Gov. Phil Bredesen; NSK Ltd. Executive Vice President Mitsuo Degawa, plant manager Bill Berry, Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber and Dyersburg Mayor John Holden.

"It tells something about Dyersburg and Tennessee for NSK to make an investment of this magnitude," said Bredesen. "With a new spec building next door it looks like you're not letting the dust settle on this project before starting the next one."

Bredesen said despite the national economic downturn, "We are not wringing our hands, but working to develop a better educated workforce and a strong business climate."

NSK Ltd. Executive Vice President Mitsuo Degawa said the Dyersburg is the company's ninth plant in the world for building steering systems and second in the U.S.

Degawa praised the local and state effort in attracting NSK to Dyersburg, explaining how the company assessed options for the location that included a labor force "that was ready to continue our success."

The final judgment, he said, "was greatly influenced by the people involved in the Dyersburg/Dyer County Chamber of Commerce, the West Tennessee Industrial Association and local and state government. The local team and [Chamber CEO] Allen Hester showed immense enthusiasm but also went about the business of meeting our needs and answering our questions in a very professional way."

Plant manager Bill Berry told Bredesen and Economic and Community Development Commissioner Matt Kisber the ECD's "FastTrack" program "shows clearly not only a can-do attitude at the local level, but at the state level."

The state funded site improvements through the FastTrack program in 2007 for power needs and road work.

Questions about electric utilities and roads "that were answered in four of five days enabled NSK to have what we needed. It was absolutely fantastic," said Berry. "Never have we come across anything quite like this in all our travels before.

After the formal remarks and cutting the ribbon, Bredesen, Degawa and other officials watched a steering system production line in operation.

Gov. Phil Bredesen celebrates the grand opening of NSK's Dyersburg plant on Thursday with several steering line workers.

A celebratory planting of a Japanese cherry tree on the NSK front lawn also was part of the event.