Rebound from flood

Local company helping Nashville factories back on their feet

Cary DeArmey recalls flooding was so high this month inside the Nashville-area plant where he works that water covered first-floor equipment and swamped half the second floor.

When full production will start again remains unknown at the A.O. Smith Corp. water heater production plant in Ashland City, he said.

"I wish I knew the answer," Mr. DeArmey said last week, noting the facility typically employs 1,200 people.

The plant, along with an array of other businesses, was stricken by devastating floodwaters when heavy rains hit the Nashville area.

A Chattanooga firm, T.J. Snow Co. Inc., is helping Mr. DeArmey's business get back up to speed. The Chattanooga company is replacing and rebuilding resistance welders that were water damaged, said Tom Snow, its chief executive.

It's also helping another client, Nashville Wire, get welding equipment running again, he said.

"It's the flood of a lifetime," Mr. Snow said. "It's sad it happened up there."

Mr. DeArmey said T.J. Snow is one of the "critical path vendors" to getting the plant back on line. He's hopeful one production line can restart this week.

"There has been a lot of effort and folks to help," he said.

Mr. Snow said his business got the first call even before the floodwaters started receding.

NASHVILLE FLOODTorrential rains lifted the Cumberland River 13 feet above flood stage, causing an estimated $1 billion in damage and killing more than 30 people, according to reports.

The company sent a crew to survey damage at both factories, he said. Crews then removed damaged equipment and shipped it to Chattanooga to be dried out and repaired, Mr. Snow said.

"It's been great to work with them as part of their team to try to get their factories going again," he said.

Mr. Snow said his staff is looking at more than a month of long hours to fix all the machinery.

"Give my guys a lot of credit," he said. "They've worked hard."

Mr. Snow said his company has started to recommend the two businesses scrap some of the damaged machines.

"It has hurt a couple of good customers," he said. "But it has been great to have the work here. The last year and a half have been challenging, to say the least."

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