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Western Maine call center adding more than 100 jobs

Barclaycard expanding Wilton call center

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Western Maine call center adding more than 100 jobs
Barclaycard expanding Wilton call center
An area of Maine hit hard with job losses during the recession is about to get an economic boost.More than 100 jobs are coming to the small Franklin County town of Wilton.Barclaycard US, a credit card company, unveiled its newly renovated and expanded call center on Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.People who work for Barclaycard said they love their jobs and the jobs pay well.“I live in Falmouth and I do drive an hour and 23 minutes each way. However, it’s a great commute because I’m coming to a great place to work,” Brian MacLeod said.Sen. Susan Collins and U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin were on hand to unveil the $5 million call center.A company representative said the completion of this project will allow Barclaycard to create between 100 and 150 jobs in the area.The call center is located at 128 Weld Road in Wilton.In its heyday, Wilton employed thousands, said Wilton Town Manager Rhonda Irish. Hundreds worked at the former Bass shoe factory until it closed in 1998.Ten years later and one town over in Jay, the Wasssau paper mill shut its doors and 200 people were out of work.  “We’ve gone from thousands down to hundreds, and having any of these jobs for our residents is just very, very welcome,” Irish said.Barclaycard will be forming partnerships with companies such as L.L. Bean and Apple.Employee Trudi Marshall said her mother was one of the last workers at Bass when it closed.“She was heartbroken about it being gone, and a lot of people around here, they didn’t know how to do anything else. So, a lot of people had to go get training and stuff like that, but to have the opportunities for this area, and to see some of the people, like my age, I’m not ready for retirement, but have something that’s there for you, that you can grow into, and that’s what this has become,” Marshall said.

An area of Maine hit hard with job losses during the recession is about to get an economic boost.

More than 100 jobs are coming to the small Franklin County town of Wilton.

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Barclaycard US, a credit card company, unveiled its newly renovated and expanded call center on Tuesday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

People who work for Barclaycard said they love their jobs and the jobs pay well.

“I live in Falmouth and I do drive an hour and 23 minutes each way. However, it’s a great commute because I’m coming to a great place to work,” Brian MacLeod said.

Sen. Susan Collins and U.S. Rep. Bruce Poliquin were on hand to unveil the $5 million call center.

A company representative said the completion of this project will allow Barclaycard to create between 100 and 150 jobs in the area.

The call center is located at 128 Weld Road in Wilton.

In its heyday, Wilton employed thousands, said Wilton Town Manager Rhonda Irish. Hundreds worked at the former Bass shoe factory until it closed in 1998.

Ten years later and one town over in Jay, the Wasssau paper mill shut its doors and 200 people were out of work.  

“We’ve gone from thousands down to hundreds, and having any of these jobs for our residents is just very, very welcome,” Irish said.

Barclaycard will be forming partnerships with companies such as L.L. Bean and Apple.

Employee Trudi Marshall said her mother was one of the last workers at Bass when it closed.

“She was heartbroken about it being gone, and a lot of people around here, they didn’t know how to do anything else. So, a lot of people had to go get training and stuff like that, but to have the opportunities for this area, and to see some of the people, like my age, I’m not ready for retirement, but have something that’s there for you, that you can grow into, and that’s what this has become,” Marshall said.