Schumer Visits Dresser-Rand in Painted Post to Tour Facility & Discuss Sale of Company to Siemens

Press Release

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer toured the Dresser-Rand facility in Painted Post and, following the tour, discussed the impending sale of Dresser-Rand to the German conglomerate Siemens. Schumer discussed his thoughts on the hard-working nature of the workforce and provided insight into his conversations with executives involved in both sides of the sale. Schumer explained his efforts to ensure the thousands of Dresser-Rand jobs across the Southern Tier and Western New York are preserved, as well as his plan to push the company to grow its presence in the region. With the completion of this visit to the Painted Post facility, Schumer has now visited all three Dresser-Rand plants in New York State this year.

"When I first learned of the sale of Dresser-Rand to Siemens, I went straight to the top and spoke with executives from both companies to stress the critical importance of preserving and building on the productive and talented workforce here in Painted Post, as well as - in Olean and Wellsville. Today, I am here to say that I am focused like a laser on pushing the Siemens leadership to preserve and grow jobs in the Southern Tier," said Schumer. "Dresser-Rand is a staple of the local economy and is critically important to the region, and I think "Siemens has a real opportunity -- and a real interest -- in growing and expanding the Dresser-Rand operation here. I will continue to watch this sale, and its impact on local jobs, like a hawk and will always go to bat for the hard-working people in the Southern Tier."

Following the news of the Dresser-Rand Sale to Siemen's, Schumer personally spoke with the CEO of Dresser-Rand, Vincent Volpe, and the CEO of Siemens's Energy Business, Lisa Davis, and urged them to preserve jobs at Dresser-Rand in the Southern Tier and Western New York. Following his conversations, he said that he was cautiously optimistic that a Siemens-owned Dresser-Rand would preserve jobs and grow the company's presence in the region, under the right economic circumstance and corporate strategy. Schumer noted that he has previously worked with executives of purchasing companies to ensure that jobs and economic development opportunities continued at major Upstate New York employers like Hickey Freeman, Johnson & Johnson, and Bausch & Lomb.

Schumer also vowed today to continue to monitor the developments and do everything he can to increase Dresser-Rand's presence in the Southern Tier and Western New York. Dresser-Rand employs thousands of people at facilities across the Southern Tier and Western New York, in Painted Post, Wellsville and Olean.

Schumer was joined by Steuben County IDA Executive Director Jamie Johnson and local elected officials.

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