In the United States, it is reported that an estimated 2.1 million skilled trades openings across 135 core professions are posted each year, but a talent gap of 1.3 million persists, meaning that for every single person completing a relevant training program, three new openings are posted.

Driven by retirement and attrition, and decades of discourse that promoted a degree over hands-on work and the removal of hands-on learning from classrooms, the renewed push to promote careers in the trades is reactionary at best and will take years to produce the necessary results. According to research by JLL, by 2030, 2.1 million skilled trades positions could remain chronically unfilled, the economic losses from which could reach $1 trillion annually, which means action needs to be taken, and taken swiftly, if a turnaround is possible.

And, if you ask Dr. Temple Grandin what needs to change, it has everything to do with updating education, attitudes, and approaches to embrace different ways of thinking.

Thinking differently
Sometimes the best way to solve a problem is to think about it from a different perspective, which is exactly how Dr. Temple Grandin approaches her work and the world.

Many people are unaware that there are three distinct cognitive styles of processing information (visual, verbal, and pattern) and while most people use a combination of these to interact with the world, as all three are important to the function of our market and society, some individuals experience one or another in a more dominant sense.

Visual thinkers or object visualizers like Dr. Grandin have an innate capacity to solve problems. Using images or diagrams to organize, comprehend, and communicate thoughts and ideas, they often notice fine details that others might miss. Visual thinkers make great diagnosticians, artists, mechanical designers, architects, and similar, excelling in roles that require spatial recall, though they may struggle with abstract concepts like higher mathematics or long-form essay writing, skills that are heavily weighted in academics.

Despite the odds being against her as a person on the spectrum in the 1950s, Dr. Grandin did not let her diagnosis stand in the way of becoming a world-renowned scientist, animal behaviorist, autism advocate, and award-winning author. At a time when children with disabilities were institutionalized, Temple was engaged and empowered to find her place in the world.

Non-verbal until the age of three and a half, she has been a professor of animal science at Colorado State University since 1990, served as an industry consultant, and tours the world addressing auditoriums of people who pay to hear her insights; remarkably, through this work she has revolutionized animal handling practices to create a more humane world for animals and people alike.

This was not without struggle. Dr. Grandin has noted that she faced more barriers in industry as a woman than she did as someone on the spectrum, but believes she would not have the same success in today’s standardized educational system.

“I don’t think I could pass an algebra test today but I know how to do all my practical math like find the volume of a tank, figure out the square footage of the cattle pens, and things of those sorts, and I think education has really gotten off-kilter with some of this stuff,” says the woman who couldn’t become a veterinarian because of higher math requirements but educates future veterinarians today.

Barred access
For visual thinkers like Dr. Grandin, the very systems that are meant to educate can also be the source of barriers to access to career paths that would suit their capabilities and interests. Hiring practices, too, can bar access for many.

While Dr. Grandin was able to build a portfolio of drawings to sell herself and her skills in the market, online applications and AI screening tools paired with more stringent educational and job requirements make it much more difficult to break through into a career, especially if you are neurodivergent.

“I’m very concerned that our visual thinkers—the ones that I call the clever engineers, really good with mechanical—we’re screening them out and we’re screening out all the best diagnostic people,” she says of the higher math requirements.

Dr. Grandin notes that there are two parts to engineering: the mathematical engineers and what she refers to as “the clever engineers who tend to be the mechanical geniuses that just figure out how to make something or make something work,” she explains. “I can remember when I worked out in industry, the ‘weird’ guy in the shop who could fix anything, definitely was autistic, but we don’t have that guy anymore, and we need them. We need the weird guy in the shop.” Traditional educational and career pathways, however, have changed, as have attitudes and liabilities, which limits how far some people can go.

True diversity, equity, and inclusion
As employers and education systems have worked to integrate policies around diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), in many ways they have failed to address the systemic barriers that prevent full and equal participation in learning environments and the workforce, particularly for those on the spectrum. In Dr. Grandin’s opinion, changes need to be instituted earlier to ensure that children, both neurodiverse and neurotypical, are exposed to more at a younger age, which begins in the home. Children are taught to build with blocks but seldom graduate to hand tools, which leads to a concerning loss of skills. Dr. Grandin has encountered some students who have never even used a ruler.

“We need to get these hands-on things back into the schools and we need to do it at younger ages. I realize we can’t take an eight-year-old on a construction site, but there are places where they can watch safely,” she explains, from which they can still be engaged and inspired.

Dr. Grandin was given responsibility at an early age and encourages parents to do the same with their children, be it a dog walking job or selling candy for charity. She encourages kids to get off the computer and get outside doing something with their hands where they can build social skills as well. And, acknowledging that access to formal therapies can be limited or costly, Dr. Grandin suggests parents do something similar and call it by a different name: riding clubs as equine therapy, intergenerational experiences at seniors’ residences, church groups—they all have a role to play.

“I think a lot of parents get too much into the Autism box. I think that’s a very big problem,” explains Dr. Grandin, which can limit the possibilities for children. Moving past this requires a great deal of advocacy and understanding the rights of the child to help them find a place to fit in the economy based on their unique interests and abilities.

Advocating for change
For Melanie McIntyre McGregor, RN, BScN, a registered nurse, mother, and advocate who completed Orton-Gillingham classroom training to support her child with dyslexia when the educational system could not, “Access often depends on parents who know how to navigate the system,” noting that this in itself creates inequity.

The role of educators is to meet children where they are, but with limited funding and strained resources, many children with special needs tend to slip through the cracks.

“One of the most difficult realizations has been seeing how much time, money, and energy families spend fighting for services that research has already shown are effective,” McGregor shares. “Parents shouldn’t have to become investigators, educators, legal researchers, advocates, and fundraisers simply to ensure their child learns to read or receives an appropriate education,” she says.

“Foundational literacy, writing, communication, and numeracy will always matter. Those are essential life skills. But beyond those foundations, I believe education should spend far more time helping students discover who they are, how they learn best, what they’re passionate about, and how those strengths can contribute to their communities.”

Says McGregor, “Imagine if schools invested as much energy into identifying children’s strengths as they do identifying their weaknesses. Imagine if every child left school believing they had something valuable to contribute,” beyond test scores that emphasize memorization over critical thinking skills.

And, if a child isn’t learning, try teaching in a different way. For McGregor, accommodations are important, but “they should never replace effective instruction.”

Similarly, if a child is accustomed to receiving accommodations throughout their educational journey, it is reasonable to expect those accommodations to continue through their professional careers, though much of the support available ceases to exist once an individual turns 18.

When it comes to accommodations, employers who hire individuals on the spectrum must be aware of their limitations, but also their strengths. Dr. Grandin notes that they will likely pour themselves into their jobs for the right employer and the right environment and will become superior performers, but a few things need to happen first. They must be insulated from social situations that may lead to breakdown and be guided by what Dr. Grandin refers to as on-the-job “pilot’s checklists” that break down the various tasks chronologically using simple to understand language and steps which are repeatable, referenceable, and can set individuals up for career success (rather than simply being given oral instructions).

Bridging the gap in skills and society
Certainly, there are individuals on the profound end of the spectrum who are not able to fulfill the requirements of jobs, particularly the skilled trades, but there are many more who are being screened out because of test results or the inability to learn in a standardized environment, though they have the skills and capacities so sorely needed in the market.

By systematically barring entry to these positions, many of the best and brightest minds are being eliminated from roles where they can shine. The loss of economic benefit therein cannot be ignored either, as many of these roles come with high wages and a sense of pride in workmanship, enabling these individuals to add tremendous value to the economy and to their own lives.

Espousing equality and operating with equity are two different things, and at the end of the day we need to do better to engage the entirety of the workforce. This can only be done if we start at an earlier age, reintroducing hands-on learning in the classroom and rethinking how we view those on the spectrum, especially at a time when addressing the skilled labour gap is so critical.

This article was inspired by An Evening With Temple Grandin hosted by the Algoma Autism Foundation (AAF) in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. A big thank you goes out to AAF and like organizations, including Future Horizons, for their work to reshape discourse around, and improve outcomes for, those who are on the spectrum, their families, and their carers. Different, not less.

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During an impassioned fireside chat with the Council on Foreign Relations, held on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly late last year, Prime Minister Mark Carney touted the nation as a rock-steady trading partner, firmly stating Canada “has what the world wants.” Barely six months into his tenure as the nation’s 24^th Prime Minister, Carney spoke at a pivotal point in history, with the ongoing war in Ukraine, Middle East conflicts, and a dizzying array of confusing tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Canadian exports like steel, aluminum, and other materials.

Carney cited Canada’s strengths and many valuable resources, including being “an energy superpower in clean and conventional energies,” a leading artificial intelligence (AI) developer, committed to human rights, and “among the top five producers of the most important critical minerals.”

In 2025, Canada’s total minerals and metals exports amounted to $162 billion: 83 percent metals, 12 percent non-metals, and the remaining five percent coal and coke. This represented a four percent increase in total mineral exports. A piece published in Policy magazine titled Building Canada’s Place in the New Critical Minerals Order (July 30, 2026) discussed the urgent need for the country to update its 2022 Critical Minerals Strategy.

Underscoring China’s critical-mineral concentration, the article stressed how much the world changed in just a few years. “Governments are now using export controls, investment screening, tariffs, procurement, stockpiles, and public financing as instruments of economic security,” wrote Vina Nadjibulla, Vice President of Research and Strategy at the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Among other areas, Nadjibulla underscored the need for “a renewed North American bargain that protects Canada’s place in U.S. mineral and industrial supply chains,” adding, “Any national strategy must reflect both the depth of Canada’s critical-minerals relationship with the United States and the increasingly differentiated geography of its exports.”

Prior to President Trump’s latest tariff salvos, Canada remained a major exporter of critical minerals to the United States. A country rich in resources, Canada is known worldwide for everything from energy, such as oil reserves, crude bitumen, natural gas and potash, to agricultural products like wheat and canola, and forest and freshwater products. On the mineral side, the nation is renowned as a producer and exporter of critical minerals, including gold, diamonds, aluminum, copper, nickel, iron ore, and the chemical element uranium, often found alongside critical minerals.

According to Natural Resources Canada, Canada exported $49.4 billion CAD in critical minerals in 2025, an increase of three percent from the previous year. Of that total, $28.8 billion CAD went to the United States—about 57 percent of Canada’s critical-minerals exports, down from 63 percent in 2024, when exports to the U.S. totalled $30.7 billion CAD. That share remains substantial, but it is notably below the 71.7 percent of all Canadian goods exports that went to the United States in 2025, meaning Canada’s critical-minerals trade is already more geographically diversified than its merchandise trade overall.

Prior to proclaiming that Canada has “what the world wants,” Carney stated that, “We must build a new era, and in that era, Canada will prosper.” Considering the present state of relations between Canada and the United States, truer words could not have been spoken.

For decades, Canada and the U.S. were, literally, brothers in arms. Akin to family dynamics, relations were not always amicable, but they were never hostile. Siblings squabble, even duke it out occasionally, but forgive and move on. Those days, it seems, are now over. The Trump Administration is fixated on sourcing critical minerals from other nations, including record-breaking amounts of copper from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), rare earth minerals from Greenland, and other minerals from Latin America. Sourcing from these nations, and others, aligns with Project Vault.

Announced in February, Project Vault was described by the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) as “a supply chain security initiative establishing the U.S. Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve, an independently governed public‑private partnership that will store essential raw materials in facilities across the United States.”

According to EXIM Chairman, John Jovanovic, “Project Vault is designed to support domestic manufacturers from supply shocks, support U.S. production and processing of critical raw materials, and strength[en] America’s critical minerals sector.” Crediting Trump’s leadership, Jovanovic added, “The U.S. Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve will help manufacturers in the United States compete, grow, and lead globally while creating jobs domestically, strengthening our economy, and advancing the national interest.”

Garnering interest from some of the world’s biggest consumers of critical minerals like Boeing, Western Digital, and GE Vernova (and receiving approval for a direct loan of up to $10 billion USD), Project Vault is being touted as enabling U.S. manufacturers to “have stable access to critical raw materials during periods of market disruption,” ensure supply chain security, and reduce America’s “dependence on foreign‑controlled supply chains, strengthening the domestic industrial base, and ensuring uninterrupted access to materials essential for advanced manufacturing and critical technologies.”

The Trump Administration’s “America First” policy essentially aims to make the U.S. self-sufficient, with little to no dependence on other countries, and only the years ahead will reveal how successful this plan truly will be. The plan includes expanding domestic oil, coal, nuclear and natural gas production; importing fewer food products; onshoring manufacturing; investing in America’s AI, technology, transportation, logistics, and other industries (to the tune of $11.3 trillion and counting, according to the White House); and imposing sweeping tariffs.

With Trump’s goal of a self-sufficient America, the question remains: where does this leave Canada’s resource sector, especially critical minerals? Responding to questions about the ongoing trade war, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Tim Hodgson recently said: “I don’t get mad, I get even.” The question was directed at the Minister during a ground-breaking ceremony for BC Hydro’s North Coast Transmission Line. Scheduled to be operational by 2032, the new line would double the province’s electricity capacity, add fibre optic cable, and expand or upgrade substations. One of the greatest benefits is set to be additional, much-needed electricity for critical mineral mines and liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments.

“Nothing would make me happier than when the United States asks us for more electricity to say, ‘You know what, we’ve got a lot of mines we need to develop in northern British Columbia,’” Hodgson said in a deliberate swipe at the current U.S. administration. Translation: Canada has what the world wants, and we’re going to speed up development of our resources sector here at home. Good luck.

For the U.S. President, or the head of any other nation for that matter, underestimating Canada’s mineral-rich resources sector is a foolish game. Fourth in the world (after Russia, the U.S., and Saudi Arabia), Canada’s resources are not only abundant but also varied. The country is a leader not just in precious metals but also in rock salt, limestone, gypsum, and potash. A critical fertilizer component, potash recently made the Trump Administration’s hit list of things not to buy from Canada (the planet’s biggest potash producer, at 15 million metric tons annually) any longer. Instead, Trump said the U.S. would source potash from Belarus. The plan is poorly thought out and deeply flawed, for several reasons.

Although not a war zone, Belarus is considered a co-aggressor in Putin’s war on Ukraine by allowing Russian forces use of its airfields, territory, and communication systems, along with human rights violations. This alone means supply chains could be broken at any time. Second, there are the obvious logistical challenges, and costs, of bringing tons of potash from Eastern Europe to the U.S. Third, and most obvious, Belarus is the fourth-largest potash producer, at six million metric tons every year. The United States consumes that amount annually, and it is impossible for Belarus to contractually guarantee all its potash is shipped to America.

With thousands of mines and quarries nationwide, Canada remains a top producer of potash, palladium, titanium concentrate, niobium, and other critical minerals. These products, and others, are increasingly important to today’s manufacturing, in everything from life-saving medical devices to smartphones.

At 200 metric tons produced every year, Canada is the fourth-highest gold-producing country. One of the most precious metals, gold is in skyrocketing demand worldwide. Apart from being a tremendous investment in today’s unsteady economic times, gold is critical to aerospace and defence (satellite components), medical technology (pacemaker wires), and cancer treatment, and it is widely used in the printed circuit boards found in cars and computers.

For Canada’s critical minerals sector, the ongoing trade conflict with the U.S. is an opportunity. With Trump’s stance on tariffs and ‘America First’ unlikely to change, Canada can leverage its bargaining power. For decades, Canada has remained the biggest single-country supplier of minerals and rare earth elements to America, providing the U.S. with almost 80 percent of its potash and 60 to 75 percent of its aluminum. Manufacturing cannot happen without Canada’s minerals.

A final aspect to consider is diversification beyond the U.S. to other markets. For example, the federal government recently created a webpage on “Benefits and opportunities for the Canadian mineral and chemical sector under the Canada-Indonesia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).” Indonesia remains one of the largest consumers of fertilizers and industrial chemicals.

In 2024, Canada exported about $493 million in plastics, chemicals, and rubber products, “with a focus on potassium-based fertilizers and pharmaceutical raw materials,” according to the government. “The CEPA offers a strategic advantage for Canadian suppliers looking to increase their presence in Indonesia.” And with Canada exporting almost $53.5 million in minerals and metals to Indonesia as of 2024, “The CEPA presents new opportunities for Canadian firms to expand their sales of iron ore, processed minerals, and critical metals.” And as an additional incentive, Canada’s reputation for eco-friendly industrial chemicals and mining practices is well-known, and important as the planet shifts toward greener alternatives.

Canada has “what the world wants.” Now the country needs to make other nations aware of that fact.

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Space is becoming an increasingly attractive venue and staging area for the work of companies across the business landscape, which necessitates the manufacture and development of space-bound craft, goods, and more. Let’s take a look at how exactly space manufacturing has become a bigger player across myriad industries today.

The rise in interest and spending for space manufacturing throughout the decade, particularly in North America, has been strongly linked to the defence sector. Demand for space manufacturing has been driven by the desire of countries like the United States and Canada to bolster their defence spending and positioning by creating and launching more satellites and networks. These networks aim to increase surveillance, create secure communications, establish positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), and more, with the goal of keeping countries secure and on the cutting edge of the latest technologies.

Other developments in the field are more closely tied to the needs of consumers. For instance, the market is seeing an increased focus on direct-to-device (D2D) technology, an ever-evolving practice that would allow unmodified cellular devices on Earth to communicate directly with satellites orbiting the planet without the need for an intermediary (i.e., a cell tower). Names like Starlink, AST SpaceMobile, and Lynk Global are seeking partnerships with wireless carriers to make D2D a viable reality.

Further tied to general technological advancement is the prospect of AI data centres based in space, although this idea is still in the conceptual phase. The construction of data centres to support AI-based technology is a top concern today, but there’s only so much ground to be broken and cooling technology to go around. Orbiting data centres would not only allow these facilities to be built off-planet but could also bring new solutions to the great amount of cooling they require.

In a piece for Science Focus, Jonathan O’Callaghan says that, “The desire for better products—and the fortunes that can come with them—is the driving force behind the emerging in-space manufacturing industry.” O’Callaghan also says that one of the draws of in-space manufacturing is the lack of gravity, which can allow for new ways of manufacturing that could be more successful than those on the planet when freed from Earth-bound physics. This could mean big advancements for areas like pharmaceuticals and computer chips, both of which are in higher demand than ever before.

There are many players of varying size in space manufacturing, perhaps none more famous than Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (more colloquially known as SpaceX). Founded by CEO Elon Musk in 2002, SpaceX has grown to become both a market and thought leader when it comes to outer space, especially given Musk’s grandiose plans in the wake of new development and cash flow in the space manufacturing sector. On August 4, Musk announced that the company plans to build automated factories on the Moon to support its ongoing venture in creating its Starmind brand of AI satellites. These factories are speculated to be powered by Optimus, a humanoid robot created by Musk’s other worldwide brand, Tesla, which is slated to become commercially available by the end of next year.

In a piece for Space.com, Mike Wall reports that SpaceX was valued at $1.77 trillion at its June initial public offering (IPO), and that its revenue for the second quarter of 2026 reached $7.8 billion. In light of the June launch of its Starfall capsule, a craft built to return payloads from orbit to Earth, as well as the company’s plans for a Moon-based factory and its efforts to increase payloads and shorten launch times, SpaceX will likely be a huge player in the industry for the remainder of the decade and beyond.

Beyond the largest players are other medium-to-large manufacturers that are also bringing a lot to the table. One such company is Rocket Lab, an American manufacturer of launch vehicles, spacecraft, and satellite components based in Long Beach, California. The company’s rockets of varying size are commonly used in the industry and sit comfortably in the middle of the market, between more expensive and smaller launch craft. As such, it has had the opportunity to create spacecraft for other industry leaders like Varda Space Industries, with its Pioneer line providing power, communication, and more for Varda’s reentry capsules.

Space is certainly a place where anyone can chase an idea or a fortune, and although American companies tend to dominate the news cycle, Canadian outfits are creating just as much noise. Ontario-based MDA Space inaugurated a high-volume satellite manufacturing facility in Montreal in May of this year as it continues to secure its place among the world’s major satellite manufacturers.

A perhaps unexpected part of Canada that is burgeoning in the space manufacturing sector is the Maritimes, on the country’s East Coast. This is thanks to companies like Maritime Launch Services (MLS), which is developing Spaceport Nova Scotia near Canso, backed by a 10-year, $200 million lease agreement with the federal government through the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA). Once fully developed, Spaceport Nova Scotia will be home to rocket launches on Canada’s East Coast, bringing more traffic and attention to a region often considered sleepier than the centres of Ontario and Quebec.

In September, MLS finalized the terms of its agreement with German company Isar Aerospace to create a dedicated launch complex at Spaceport Nova Scotia. Isar recently achieved the first successful orbital launch by a commercial company from Western European soil (Norway, specifically), and this agreement will help it build a greater foothold in the West. Perched on the Atlantic coast, the spaceport can support both high-inclination and polar trajectories over the ocean, in turn creating a potential route to space for companies interested in bypassing more globalized launch networks.

Developments like these come on the heels of the federal government’s, under Prime Minister Mark Carney, committing $182.6 million over three years in its 2025 budget to increase Canada’s launch capacity. In a piece for Invest Nova Scotia, Jonathan Coles says that Nova Scotia’s growing role in space is aided by the research capabilities of the Dalhousie Space Systems Lab (DSS) at Dalhousie University in Halifax. DSS, in conjunction with MDA and the Canadian Space Agency, was behind LORIS, the first satellite designed, built, and tested in Atlantic Canada, which was later deployed from the International Space Station.

Coles says that Nova Scotia checks a lot of boxes for space-based companies looking to invest in the province—namely, existing launch infrastructure, ready and willing partners that can supply a pipeline of talent, and a cost-effective environment conducive to innovation. As Coles puts it, “[Nova Scotia] has entered a new era of space innovation.”

We may still be far away from classic sci-fi dreams like the flying car, but manufacturing in and around space is no dream. Many companies are taking their operations to the heavens with plans and products that are certainly exciting, both in their novelty and in how they reflect current realities. To paraphrase the great “Macho Man” Randy Savage, when considering the new frontier where innovation and big business are looking to thrive, space is the place.

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“I think we are at the front end of a renaissance for Chester County. We have continued to have fantastic success with economic development. We’re not that sleepy little place some people think we are,” says Director of Economic Development, Robert Long.

There were 32,182 people living in Chester County in 2024, according to Data USA, and the average age of residents was 42.4 years. Manufacturing grew 70 percent between 2010 and 2020 and now employs almost half the county’s private sector workforce. Healthcare, social assistance, and retail trade are also prominent employment sectors, states Data USA.

Meeting the needs of business
Leading companies in Chester County include Giti Tire USA, a tire manufacturer employing roughly 1,000 people; Gallo, one of the largest privately held wine and spirits companies in the world, employing 400 people; Boise Cascade Company, a manufacturer of plywood and building materials employing around 400 people; and Carolina Poly Inc., an advanced materials firm manufacturing polyethylene film products with about 700 personnel.

In addition to a pro-business mindset, Chester County offers prospective companies an abundance of large sites. “If you’re in an industry that needs 50 acres, 100 acres, 200 to 300 acres, 1,000 acres—we have these sites,” Long tells us.

Chester County is well-served by railroads, with a short line railroad—the L&C Railway—that is linked to the CSX and Norfolk Southern systems. Having an extensive rail network means lower freight costs for companies, and the county also benefits from its proximity to Interstate 77, connecting Chester with Columbia, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina as well as the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. On top of this, Chester County companies can count on ample natural gas, courtesy of the Chester County Natural Gas Authority and supportive government officials.

“Our goal is, ‘How do we help other people?’ We’re friendly and easy to deal with. We want you to come here. We want you to be a good partner. We’re going to alleviate roadblocks and bureaucracy as best we can, and we’re going to offer incentives where we can,” explains County Administrator, Brian Hester.

These advantages have led to some big moves of late. On March 25^th of this year, IKO officially celebrated the grand opening of its two new, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Chester, including a fiberglass manufacturing facility and a glass mat production plant, marking a transformative investment in Chester County and the area’s growing manufacturing sector.

“The project represents a capital investment of more than $500 million and stands as one of the largest Canadian foreign direct investments in South Carolina’s history. Located off Highway 9 at the site of the former PPG facility, the development brings new life to an existing industrial property while reinforcing Chester County’s position as a hub for advanced manufacturing.” Together, IKO’s two state-of-the-art facilities are expected to create approximately 200 to 250 new jobs, offering long-term career opportunities and contributing to the community’s economic growth.

Officine Maccaferri, an Italian environmental and land stabilization company, is also bringing 90 new jobs to the area and further strengthening the county’s growing manufacturing and industrial sector with a new facility in Fort Lawn, inaugurated June 5^th of this year. This facility will serve as Maccaferri’s multi-technology production hub in North America, strengthening the Group’s manufacturing and operational presence in the region.

The facility marks a new operational milestone in the Group’s long-term growth path in North America, confirming the United States as a priority market for Maccaferri’s global development. Integrating almost the full range of Maccaferri’s production technologies under one roof, the Fort Lawn facility “is one of the largest production sites and the most technologically advanced one within its worldwide network. It reinforces the Group’s role as a leading provider of environmental geotechnical solutions for the infrastructure sector, at a time when demand in the U.S. is accelerating on the back of sustained infrastructure investment.”

Keeping quality of life affordable
In addition to attracting new manufacturers and industry, Chester County has become a magnet for new residents, particularly seniors. Seniors are often lured by the moderate climate—the yearly average temperature in Chester County is a balmy 60° Fahrenheit, with an average high of 71°F and average low of 50°F—in addition to the low cost of living.

Median household income in 2024 in Chester County was $52,458, up 2.43 percent from the previous year, while the cost of living was 3.8 percent lower than the U.S. average. Houses are reasonably priced, with a median property value in Chester in 2024 of $158,300 and newly constructed homes averaging in the $200,000s, according to Data USA.

As for property taxes, “We have not raised our millage rates in four years. We actually did a rollback in our millage rates last year, because of re-assessment, all the while expanding services,” says Long. A mill represents $1 of tax per $1,000 of a property’s assessed value. The mill rate—or millage—is the amount of tax local tax authorities set on a property and varies depending on the neighborhood and surrounding area. The lower the mill rate, the less tax a property owner needs to pay.

When it comes to services, Hester proudly notes that the county recently raised salaries for deputies and hired full-time firefighters, and average response times for emergency medical services in rural locales have been slashed from over 40 minutes to just over 11 minutes. The county is served by the Medical University of South Carolina Chester Medical Center. “We were the first county in state of South Carolina to receive a grant for an ambulance,” he notes.

He is referring to the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program, run by the South Carolina Department of Commerce, which offers funds to local communities to enhance housing, living conditions, and economic opportunities. In addition to the ambulance, Chester County received a separate CDBG grant for a new firetruck, Hester adds.

Grants are one mechanism by which Chester County has been able to trim its budget while pouring millions into a capital reserve account; renegotiating contracts and cutting wasteful spending are other ways the county has saved taxpayers money.

Making moves
Major construction projects in the county include new residential apartments and a future facility in the City of Chester that will accommodate a courthouse, jail, and a center for law enforcement and first responders. There are also discussions about building a new hospital for the county, notes Hester.

Chester County officials recognize the importance of networking and promotion, and to this end, representatives maintain a robust social media presence, attend regional conferences, and are involved in the South Carolina I-77 Alliance. The alliance is a self-described “county-driven non-profit economic development organization,” made up of counties near the I-77 Interstate. Chester County officials have used I-77 Alliance connections to visit South Korea and several countries in Europe to tout the region and network. Chester County is also part of the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, the 16-county, two-state regional group driving economic growth for the Charlotte region.

For his part, Hester was recently invited to speak at the Pendleton Farmers Society, a venerable agricultural organization founded in 1815 that counts state political and economic leaders as members. “They asked us to come and talk about what we were doing in Chester, about relationships with government and civic engagement and incentives for local producers,” says Hester.

Revitalizing the region
Certainly, county officials have not overlooked the importance of amenities to attract and retain residents. The newly expanded Rodman Sports Complex, a huge site with facilities for baseball, softball, and soccer, is one of the county’s most popular amenities. There are also ongoing streetscape initiatives to clean up litter and tear down decrepit buildings. Revitalization, with new retail, restaurant, and entertainment options, is top of mind.

“That has been a real strategic focus of ours: to take an area in our county—really, it’s centered around the City of Chester—and revitalize buildings and bring in restaurants. Our downtown is really starting to be a thriving area,” says Hester, speaking proudly of a historic post office which Chester County owns and plans to restore.

“It goes back to the overall quality of life. People want to live here and take [advantage of] job opportunities from companies growing and hiring here. It’s pretty amazing to see where we started a few years ago to where we are today,” adds Long.

A winding road into a bright future
Chester County was originally inhabited by members of the Cherokee and Catawba Nations, with European settlers arriving in the mid-1700s. The county was the scene of some major battles during the U.S. Revolutionary War, then experienced rapid growth after being connected to railroad lines in the 1850s. Union soldiers wreaked havoc in the county during the North’s sweep through the Confederacy during the Civil War.

By the late 19^th century, Chester County had undergone a transformation from a primarily agricultural region to an epicenter of the textile industry. This faded in the 1980s, and the county went through a rough patch, with rising poverty and unemployment. Since then, says Long, “We’ve done a really good job on diversification,” and there are big plans to leverage the area’s heritage to draw more tourists.

“We need to take advantage of the tourism that can be generated from our history: the Civil War, the Revolutionary War, and some of the unique history that’s here in Chester County,” says Hester.

For all that, preconceived notions continue to be a challenge, admits Long. People who are only vaguely familiar with Chester County might dismiss it as a tiny, rural locale, instead of the dynamic community it has become. “When people come for a visit, hopefully they say, ‘Hey, those guys are a lot more sophisticated [than I thought]. They were on the ball,’” says Long.

Going forward, county officials forecast further economic and residential growth. Buoyed by major manufacturing players like IKO and Maccaferri, Long anticipates the population of Chester will hit nearly 40,000 people by the next United States Census. That said, county officials want to avoid uncontrolled growth and “cookie-cutter” sub-divisions, adds Hester.

There is also, of course, a strong desire to retain the best traits of Chester County, even as the community expands. “We don’t want to lose our rural character,” Long emphasizes. “We like that rural character.”

The post This Small Community Has Big Development Plans<p class="company">Chester County, South Carolina</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Communities that are rich in both history and potential for the future drive this growth with their low cost of living, access to the beach, quality healthcare, and gainful employment—and also endless amenities to enrich the quality of life.

“We offer a strong sense of community, historic towns, local businesses, and most importantly, room to enjoy the outdoors,” says Marion County Administrator, David Price, emphasizing that these are features the community seeks to preserve as it grows.

A plan and a way forward
Guided by a five-year comprehensive economic development strategic plan, Marion County 2025, Marion County has a strong sense of what it is, what it wants to be, and how it plans to get there.

As Zachary McKay, Executive Director of the Marion County Economic Development Commission (EDC), notes, “The dominoes are starting to fall,” and the economic development team is beginning to “see the forest through the trees.”

Home to a robust manufacturing landscape including automotive components, healthcare, and agribusiness, the region offers growth potential that can build on its existing success. While high-paying jobs are sought after, the county still balances development with the community’s agricultural roots, which fuel the regional supply chain.

“Our number one employer in the county is SOPAKCO, a food manufacturer. They actually manufacture MREs for the Department of Defense,” says McKay, who also names MUSC Health Marion Medical Center and PSI Molded Plastics as leading regional employers.

While the economy is strong, Marion County EDC has sought to boost it further through such developments as the Willoughby site, which has been the economic development team’s key focus and an exciting development for the county. “We’re partnering with R.J. Corman and CSX,” McKay explains. “They have broken ground within the last 45 days, beginning with rehabilitating a former rail line to bring back rail access in the county.”

The 220-acre site is county-owned and is ideally located across from the Marion County Airport, adjacent to Highway 76, six miles from a CSX interchange and less than 20 miles from Interstate 95 and Dillon Inland Port. It is also less than a mile from the proposed lines for Interstate 73, a project that appears to be gaining momentum.

“That’s going to be our first rail-served site,” notes McKay of the CSX Select Site Bronze Designation for rail-served industrial potential. “That rail extension was able to happen because we received a two-and-a-half-million-dollar grant from the State Department of Commerce.”

Growth in partnership
Proximity and good connections are vitally important logistically for the kinds of industry at home in Marion County, but also in attracting a talented and educated workforce and working with other regional stakeholders to leverage that asset. “We have a workforce of just under half a million within a 60-minute drive,” notes McKay.

To make the most of that asset, Marion County EDC is working in strategic partnership with local industry and workforce partners like the Academy of Careers and Technology and local career centers and educational partners (like Florence Island Technical College) to create a functioning talent pipeline for the growing industry and target sectors.

On the private side, Marion County Progress serves as a member-based organization to support economic development through private investment and stakeholder engagement. One such member is Marion County Healthcare Foundation, whom McKay praises: “They were a huge supporter of the strategic plan, a huge supporter of Marion County Progress and again, a huge supporter of Marion County as a whole.” Indeed, he confirms that the predominant attitude of stakeholders in Marion County, who are working together to improve the collective lot of all, is that “a rising tide lifts all ships.”

Celebrating wins
Part of Marion County’s efforts to preserve its character amid vigorous growth is deliberate forethought in setting priorities. Through comprehensive studies, it has identified goals and mapped out pathways to success.

Accommodation, both temporary and permanent, has also been a focus of the development team to ensure that economic development and quality of life go hand in hand. Last year, a feasibility study was conducted that uncovered a need for extended hotel accommodation, and as a result, with the support of the Rural Development Initiative through the Department of Commerce, downtown Marion will soon be home to Hotel Marion.

Further, a housing feasibility study has provided the county with actionable data that can support the addition of housing stock of all categories to ensure that Marion County remains “a county where young people can see a future for themselves,” notes McKay.

“Ultimately, it told us we have a true need for housing. We have a need for short-term units. We have a need for residential units. So, we are taking that data and we’re working with some developers. The county has identified a piece of land that is county-owned, so now we’re going to be able to leverage that,” he says, although planning is still at an early stage and will depend on development partners.

With the Willoughby site, plus a new hotel and housing underway, there is plenty to celebrate but still more to do. “In the near term, we need to support existing businesses, prepare competitive sites, strengthen the workforce pipeline, and move promising infrastructure projects forward,” says Price, who notes that over the long term, the goals are economic diversity and more high-paying jobs in the logistics and manufacturing sectors.

For Price, “The measure of success is whether growth creates lasting opportunities for Marion County residents. We want to create something that will last forever, or as long as it possibly can.”

This is the kind of thoughtful development that McKay believes will “create a community that we all want to live, work, and play in.”

The post Making Investments for a Life Well Lived<p class="company">Marion County, South Carolina</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

In addition to the Darlington National Raceway and the Southern 500, one of the oldest and most well-known NASCAR races, the nearby city of Florence features a performance theater, symphony orchestra, ballet companies, museums, festivals, and an excellent recreational complex.

Located in northeastern South Carolina and bordering North Carolina, the county has long been home to farmers who cultivated cotton and tobacco. Over the past 20 years, the county has seen an increase in manufacturing and distribution facilities, due in part to Interstate 95, which runs through the county from north to south, Inland Port Dillon, and Harbor Freight Tools, which boasts more than 2 million feet of distribution space under roof in the county.

When Inland Port Dillon opened in 2018, the manufacturing and distribution industries took notice that rural Dillon County was the place to be, offering tremendous opportunity for companies to prosper. Located in a fully serviced industrial park, Inland Port Dillon is ready to receive manufacturing and distribution enterprises and has all the necessary infrastructure—including gas, power, water, sewage, and high-speed Internet—and space needed for future construction.

“Everything we do surrounds an organization called DCP3, an acronym for Dillon County Public-Private Partnership,” says Dillon Economic Development Director, Rodney Berry. After holding positions as Congressional Director, County Administrator, and Mayor, Berry returned to this role to help attract more businesses to the area. “One of the main initiatives was getting this public-private partnership running again,” he says.

A “very impressive” board of local stakeholders—comprising bankers, utility companies, local co-ops, Duke Energy, Dominion Gas, the Water and Sewer Authority, those in the education field, and local colleges—meets monthly at the Inland Port Dillon to dictate the vision and the curriculum for Dillon Economic Development.

“We thought this would be a wonderful opportunity to educate our locals in economic development,” Berry says. This led to the advent of the Ambassador Program, created to educate a core group of citizens to serve as county ambassadors and speak about the benefits of doing business in the county via a series of monthly informational and educational presentations from leaders in business, education, and public service.

“The course presenters comprised experts from the South Carolina Department of Commerce, the local Pee Dee Regional Council of Governments, our utility partners, railroads, the ports and airports. They each spoke, and it allowed our attendees to learn the process of recruiting industry and all that it takes.”

Additionally, the DCP3 hosts the Bolts, Screws, and Fork Lunch Series featuring local entrepreneurs who share their knowledge and wisdom. “The only time residents see economic development is when you make an announcement, so we want to show people that we’re constantly working, bolts and screws are turning, to be competitive here in Dillon County,” says Berry.

The first lunch featured Tim Norwood, “recognized as the most successful entrepreneur in the general region.” Hailing from neighboring Florence County, Norwood is largely responsible for revamping the downtown, receiving many municipal association awards along the way. That was followed by the new president of Northeastern Technical College, Dr. Melissa Frank-Alston—the first female president in the history of the college—while the third guest was Micah Mallace, the new CEO of the South Carolina Ports Authority (SC Ports), probably the biggest economic driver in the entire state, Berry adds. “We sit down on the stage and I do an informal interview, allowing our local stakeholders to see all that’s involved in getting economic development moving.”

Industry appreciation is taken seriously in the county, Berry stresses. “To that end, an industry appreciation event was held at all of our major industries, organized by the DCP3 Economic Development Board. Free cups of Mike’s Italian Ices were given to all the employees during their schedule breaks. North of 3,000 employees were served.

“Harbor Freight is a large user of the port. Everything we do here now, after announcing the port about eight years ago, surrounds the port,” says Berry. “The port is our competitive advantage. Harbor Freight was truly the reason why the port’s here, because it was an anchor tenant that could ensure high-volume container moves.”

Other notable quality industries in Dillon County’s impressive stable of businesses are Wyman-Gordon; Perdue Chicken, one of the largest chicken producers in the world; and Arclin Group, which enjoyed a large expansion last year, and Elite Quartz. “We’re really fortunate and proud to have these fine industries here,” says Berry.

Manufacturers, distributors, importers, and exporters have also been invited by Inland Port Greer and Inland Port Dillon to take advantage of the benefits of connecting with the Port of Charleston, one of the biggest and busiest deepwater ports in the United States, which is serviced by roughly 12 ocean carriers. The Port of Charleston, which unloads products from all over the world and can carry them directly to Dillon via CSX’s Class 1 Rail, is a major economic generator in South Carolina. Goods can also be transported across the nation by train; alternatively, anything can be exported, including state-grown cereals and soybeans as well as manufactured goods.

Certainly, the inland port has given the region a competitive edge, and trade has grown yearly as a result of the substantial freight savings associated with rail—between 10 and 35 percent—compared to the cost of transportation by truck. Furthermore, SC Ports’ matchback program in Dillon expedites the process by matching exporters with vacant containers, ensuring that the cargo is ready for ship loading when it leaves Dillon via rail for the Port of Charleston.

Amidst all this success, Berry is actively looking to bring more businesses and manufacturers to the area. “We’re pretty active in our recruiting efforts, working with the Department of Commerce and a local group called NESA, the North Eastern Strategic Alliance. Their economic development entity is composed of eight counties, which we all fund, and they actively recruit and help us get prospects here in the county,” he shares.

In addition, “We’re always aiming to improve our infrastructure because it has to be present to get them here,” he says. This includes improving wastewater infrastructure for Perdue in an effort to remain competitive and to potentially receive another large food processor. “You’ve got to have the infrastructure in place. If you don’t have it currently available, there are just too many options for these prospects to locate elsewhere. We never want to have an industry come here and say, ‘You can’t handle our production.’ We’re always keenly aware of that and trying to improve our capacity, be it wastewater, electricity, or gas.”

Clearly, having an inland port is not the only incentive to establish or expand a business in Dillon County. South Carolina has a particularly strong business position; the county can attract investors by utilizing the statewide incentives and subsidies available to businesses, contingent on the size of the investment and the number of employees. Within 60 miles of the geographic center of Dillon County, employers have access to about a million workers. They can also offer the incentive of adopting a more relaxed, rural lifestyle combined with more active, exciting opportunities just two hours away in Myrtle Beach and metropolitan facilities a short drive away in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

“When people move here, especially from up north, they feel by way of proximity that they’re at the beach, because we’re only an hour away from Myrtle Beach,” Berry says. “People like the climate. They love having access to various amenities but treasure living in a smaller setting where their families can be raised in a wholesome environment. We’re a little bit slower-paced, and we still have an attractive, cherished rural environment.

In addition, Dillon County has some of the lowest living expenses of any county in the nation—much lower than the national average—as well as a rich Southern culture and heritage and appealing jobs in growing industries. A 200-year-old operational farm, the Dillon County Theater, one of the few remaining examples of Spanish Colonial architecture in the country, and several homes and buildings on the National Register of Historic Places are just a few examples of the area’s abundance of art, history, crafts, and culture.

The Ellis Performing Arts Center, which can accommodate more than 450 people and hosts a variety of cultural events, is another example of Dillon County’s dedication to the arts, with a small group of performers known as the Macarthur Avenue Players presenting a variety of plays at the Dillon County Theater each year. The Dillon County Wellness Center’s 40,000-square-foot indoor sports and fitness complex offers a gym and walking track, and the $4.1 million arena hosts business meetings, banquets, competitions, and receptions.

Additionally, Berry has experienced another unique advantage to the area he knows well. “I ran a congressional office for 10 years, and we were responsible for eight counties. I don’t know where I’ve ever seen a county and a city—and we have three municipalities within our county—where municipalities work in unison the way I’ve seen here,” he says.

“We’re all on the same page, and there’s no bickering and fighting. We all see the agenda and we all work toward it. All the mayors and the county administrator, the city and county councilors—it’s really a beautiful thing and a little unusual to be a part of. It’s something that makes everything run more smoothly and gets everyone’s goals met as well.”

The post Create, Grow, Thrive: Building Businesses in Dillon County<p class="company">Dillon County Public-Private Partnership</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

The DCAC team strives to help companies locate commercial land or buildings, connect them with Anderson County business and community leaders, and advise businesses on the Anderson County market and its many prospects.

Embracing a mission statement to support economic growth, job creation, improved quality of life, education, and workforce development throughout the county, the DCAC aims to increase capital investment, sustained job development, and diversity in the county by creating a robust, distinct, and enduring economy, drawing in key Tier 1 and 2 operators, expanding the employment and tax base of the county, offering training to every segment of the workforce, improving training to accommodate all job creators’ needs, and maintaining and improving parks, sports facilities, and lifestyle amenities.

Along with offering business incentives for industries looking to expand or relocate to the area, other DCAC projects include organizing events and meetings with county business leaders, persuading potential employees to seek work within Anderson County, engaging in workforce development and training initiatives such as student apprenticeship programs, and handling possible labor issues, such as moving workers from rural to urban locations.

The Anderson County Manufacturing Alliance also offers numerous benefits; it acts as a communication bridge connecting local manufacturing companies with other industries; offers a professional network to connect with other industries and share common interests and concerns; brings a unified voice to resolve any issues that may arise within or between entities and industries; and provides access to shared educational opportunities and technological resources. The Alliance also offers resource sharing and collaborative support options; quarterly meetings featuring engaging topics and valuable information; a chance for industry professionals, educators, and community members to address current and future workforce development needs, including skill-building and career awareness promotion throughout the county; and networking and communication channels between education and industry partners.

The Manufacturing Alliance welcomes all businesses, workforce development organizations, and education institutions throughout Anderson County, with a core mission to help the area flourish by attracting new industries and supporting the growth of existing ones within the community. The organization is committed to supporting business and industry growth through a range of economic incentives, creating customized incentive packages for both new and established businesses while taking into account factors like investment size, the quality and quantity of jobs being created, and competitive hourly wage rates.

And, as they say, location is often the key to success. “Anderson County sits directly between Charlotte and Atlanta on the I-85 corridor, with I-85 cutting through the heart of Anderson County and providing 40 miles of interstate frontage,” says Cameron Ford, Senior Project Manager of Commercial Development and Recruitment. “It’s also accessible by more than 10 interchanges, making interstate access easy from anywhere in the county.”

This frontage also provides plenty of greenfield sites for a manufacturer looking for both I-85 frontage and access, Ford adds.

“We also have a 150-plus-acre county-owned industrial park at Anderson Regional Airport, and a recent grant award has allowed us to open access into the park and begin construction on two pad-ready sites of 100,000 square feet and 77,000 square feet, pads that should see substantial completion by spring 2027,” he shares. Additionally, the Anderson Airport Business Park has heavy and redundant utilities that can meet the utility demands of almost any project.

In order to help the county thrive and grow as a whole, its workforce services and strategic partnerships provide a number of services, resources, and partnerships to support employers in attracting, developing, and retaining a talented workforce.

“Our most valuable role in workforce development is being the connecting piece between employers and our local training organizations,” says Kelly Parnell, Assistant Director of Economic Development. “Whether that is by hosting the HR One Stop, which introduces new manufacturers to these organizations, or through grant programs that provide stipends for high school students exploring career paths, we strive to provide the opportunities to let our partners show the impactful services they can provide to employers.”

The county’s corporate and manufacturing opportunities include access to available sites, services, and opportunities for companies seeking to establish or expand corporate headquarters or manufacturing facilities.

“The northeast corner of the county is probably our strongest location for the next corporate headquarters,” says Parnell. “There are close to 15,000 professionals living in that area who commute to corporate roles in Greenville and Spartanburg. We believe that the area is destined to land a corporate or regional HQ in the near future.”

For businesses looking to locate or grow, Anderson County’s streamlined permitting and business incentives embody the county’s ability to expedite permitting processes and offer strategic incentives to support both new businesses and existing businesses. “Similar to the HR One Stop, we provide a Construction One Stop,” Parnell explains. “Here the project team—the company, architects, general contractor, engineers, et cetera—present the project to utility and permitting reps.” The utility and permitting reps can then introduce themselves and provide a brief assessment of any issues the construction team may run into prior to submitting documents.

“This allows the project team to proceed on design with a clearer understanding of possible hurdles and areas of emphasis during the project,” she says. “They leave the meeting with the contact information of the utility and permitting reps and have a direct line to them throughout the design and build.”

Certainly, the county has experienced its fair share of successes lately in a variety of areas, but growth can bring with it some unique challenges. “We do not want to be victims of our own success, but like any place that has grown dramatically like Anderson, we have experienced growing pains,” Ford says. “These can be felt in places like the demands on our infrastructure as well as by people in the community who are unsure of all the changes occurring. However, we have taken steps to allay these fears by working to ensure the companies we recruit are always a greater value-add than not.”

Parnell adds, “To illustrate this, the companies that the county has incentivized have invested more than a billion dollars over their contractual obligations as well as created more than a thousand jobs over their obligation.” In fact, a new Land Use Development Ordinance is expected to be passed in the coming months that will further incentivize development in line with the character of the community.

“In 2009, the average wage of Anderson County sat below the poverty level,” says Ford. “Now that average sits healthily above that mark, and we have seen that metric grow at a rate higher than inflation over the past five years.”

Aside from its business development opportunities, there are plenty of other activities taking place in and around the area that are sure to keep residents and visitors entertained in every season. “Anderson County’s Civic Center has undergone a $12.5 million improvement at the amphitheater aimed at improving concert programming,” Parnell says. These improvements consist of a more intimate setting with a permanent seating area, a closer stage, and a VIP section, as well as increased amenities for performers. For this project, Anderson County has partnered with top promoter Peachtree Entertainment to promote the venue.

Anderson County is home to eight municipalities, each with their own history and culture and all holding their own events and festivals throughout the year. These communities are packed with amazing natural attractions and entertainment options, from fascinating historic landmarks and museums to lively local venues. These include live performances and events at the Anderson Civic Center, the excitement of the Anderson Motor Speedway, the Anderson University Rainey Fine Arts Center, the Greater Anderson Musical Arts Consortium (GAMAC), Electric City Playhouse, and the Market Theatre for entertainment, as well as the Anderson County Museum—which houses the archives for genealogical and local history research—and the Quilt Trail, started in 2010 with a single painted quilt square that has now grown to over 180 squares spanning three Upstate counties as well as multiple others throughout the state. There’s also the historic district of Pendleton, recognized on the National Register of Historic Places, with a downtown boasting more than 50 buildings that date back before 1850.

Other draws include shopping, dining, festivals, sports, amazing opportunities for boating, fishing, and tubing, and other outdoor adventures on an abundance of lakes, including Lake Hartwell, a 50,000-acre lake that attracts more than one million people on an annual basis. “Anderson County has over 35 boat ramps and access points, making the lake an easy recreational opportunity for everyone to enjoy,” says Ford.

As the county continues to grow and thrive in the years to come, Ford and Parnell both want the area to continue to not only provide ample entertainment but to embrace its business and development potential as well, drawing in new workers and exciting employment opportunities. “We would hope to continue our trend of growing the average wage in real terms and to fill out the Airport Business Park with quality, high-paying tenants that continue to diversify employment opportunities in the area,” says Ford.

Parnell agrees, adding, “We want to continue to develop innovative programs that connect our industries and our students for work-based learning opportunities.” Thus far, this has proven to be a winning formula for smart and sustainable success countywide.

The post Developing Opportunities<p class="company">Development Corporation of Anderson County, South Carolina</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

Led by Director, Libby Lear, under the directive of county officials in partnership with local, regional, and state stakeholders, this collective is dedicated to advancing Chesterfield County in a way that makes sense, growing opportunity while protecting the quality of life the community so reveres.

Leveraging assets and celebrating wins
Key to economic development and social investment in Chesterfield County is its firmly grounded sense of what it is, what it wants to be, and how it intends to get there. The goal is to continue to elevate the population of 45,000 and growing while leaning into the county’s rural charm, history, and natural endowments, including its cost of living, available land, and a business-friendly approach to development.

Located along the eastern seaboard halfway between New York and Miami, with access to a market of 1.6 million people within a 60-mile radius, Chesterfield County is not far to markets, mountains, metros, and the beach, which all serve as the backdrop for its exceptional quality of life and economic strength.

“We can be at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in an hour from our industrial park in Pageland, and to companies, that makes a big difference,” explains Lear. “We really have good proximity to Charlotte, Columbia, and Florence. We’re right in the middle of those three cities. The area that’s growing is primarily Pageland because of its proximity to Charlotte.”

Regionalism is part of the development strategy in the county given the layout. The center of the county is known as “the wildlife refuge.”

“One fifth of our county is state and national forests—over 100,000 acres,” says Lear. The county is fortunate, though, that the eight municipalities pull together for common goals and events.

Many landowners have their property planted in pines also. The lumber industry has taken a hit in the southeast recently so that has been a challenge for anyone involved in the timber business.

Cheraw is the largest town in the county and home to several large manufacturers. The downtown has been revitalized, especially since Springhill Suites built there. “That was a huge catalyst for rejuvenating Cheraw, so now if you go downtown, there’s nightlife,” Lear says of the restaurants and other exciting additions that prove attractive to residents, visitors, and investors alike.

Economic diversity and strength
The county is home to automotive, aerospace, and defense suppliers. In addition to advanced manufacturing, there’s agribusiness, food and beverage and specialty textile companies.

Foreign direct investment (FDI) remains a focus of the county, but also the state. A memorandum of understanding was recently signed between South Carolina and Ontario, Canada to expand trade and collaboration. “Foreign direct investment in the state of South Carolina right now is huge. We’re represented by many different countries around the world,” explains Lear, including Dutch, German, Chinese, French, and Canadian companies.

While the loss of Stanley Black & Decker was a major hit several years ago, the strength of industries like Milliken-Highland, Aalberts, ATI, Carpenter Technology, Carolina Canners, Doman Tucker Lumber, Screwmatics, and Schaeffler Group, the largest employer in the Pee Dee Region, is the county’s backbone. The recent announcement by Canadian company, Cyclic Materials, is a major win for the region as well as the environment. This $82 million investment will reclaim the rare earth elements (REEs) from end of life items, separate the rare earth elements, and prepare them to be made into permanent magnets again.

“It’s really put South Carolina and Chesterfield County on the map because they’re going to be recycling rare earth elements. Less than one percent of REEs are being recycled right now, so it’s going to change the whole environment around that,” reducing the need to mine and import these critical materials, Lear explains. The company has already been recognized as a company to watch in climate tech.

Cyclic Materials signed a 10-year agreement with Vacuumschmelze (VAC) of Sumter that will be making new permanent magnets out of the recycled rare earths that Cyclic provides for use in aerospace, defense, and medical applications. That 37-mile supply chain is a huge improvement over relying on China for these elements.

Getting to work
Chesterfield County has a lot of the qualities that companies are looking for: communities with rural and historic charm, a competitive cost of living and doing business, a quality of life that can elevate the value it offers its employees, and of course, available workforce. “We have a higher concentration of metal workers than any place in the state, the sixth most in the country,” explains Lear, which proves ideal for automotive, aerospace, defense, and other advanced manufacturing clusters.

To ensure that the talent needs of industry are being met, Lear works with the countywide school district as well as Northeastern Technical College to understand and address those needs.

One such effort is in McBee, where the goal is to introduce a branch of the community college to support the various employers there including A.O. Smith, Carpenter Technology, and MAR-MAC Industries.

“We’ve got a lot of industry in McBee, but we don’t have the higher ed piece, so people have to drive—that’s one of my goals,” says Lear. “Making sure we are teaching the things that industry needs is another goal.”

Partnership as the foundation
Of course, economic development is not possible without partnership, and relationship building is foundational to the work of Chesterfield County Economic Development. “A big portion of what we do is relationship building and talking to stakeholders,” says Lear. “We don’t always do the thing ourselves, but we try to help promote it and help make it work,” she explains.

Not only does her office work with municipalities and the county; she is also tasked with managing relationships with employers, potential investors, and even cross-border allies to maximize the benefits to the region. “We maximize our memberships,” she says, which include the North Eastern Strategic Alliance (NESA), the Charlotte Regional Business Alliance, the South Carolina Department of Commerce, cooperatives (telecommunications and electric), and many more.

Lear credits the work of the cooperatives and utilities in getting projects off the ground. “At Lynches River Industrial Park in Pageland, we could not have gotten it completed without the South Carolina Power Team; I’m talking almost a million dollars and a lot of money from Lynches River Electric Cooperative, which has really helped us get the water, sewer, and the road built.” Duke Energy has also been a big supporter in the county, making a difference in helping cover due diligence on industrial parks and contributing to the area parks and non-profits.

On the topic of roads, Chesterfield County Economic Development continues to push for investments in highway infrastructure, chiefly the four-laning of Highway 9, which runs across the county along the border with North Carolina. The goal is to get it to four lanes from Chesterfield to Pageland, something that Lear is personally committed to. She also hopes to gain support for improving the condition of the bridge over the Pee Dee River into Marlboro County. She notes, “I didn’t think about the importance of such things before getting into economic development.”

She is also committed to replicating the success the team has had with a speculative building. “That was finishing up just as I came onboard, and it took six months or so, but we attracted a Fortune 1000 company, ATI,” she explains. “They make custom titanium alloy sheets for the aerospace and defense industry, so that was very exciting. We’re hoping to do that again.” Lear considers Lynches River Industrial Park a great location. Clearing and grading activities have already commenced on a 30-acre lot right across from ATI.

While water is plentiful, as Chesterfield County sits on the recharge center of an aquifer, guaranteeing water at a time when it is becoming increasingly scarce can pose a challenge. Other resource and infrastructure challenges persist, specifically regarding sewer capacity and natural gas availability, which has a limiting impact on development. “If we look at requests for information (RFIs), companies need gas and we have to really look at that and see if that’s even a possibility, so that’s a long term goal,” shares Lear, who hopes to bolster available resources and infrastructure to support growth where possible. “My number one goal all the time is to assist the existing industries that we have right now. We’ve got to keep them happy,” she says. Having the additional resources they need for expansions is crucial.

Putting Chesterfield County on the map
Despite the challenge of managing the various regional priorities and relationships, at the heart of the work of Lear and the Chesterfield County Economic Development team is the imperative to continue to shine a light on the beauty and character that is Chesterfield County. The community sells itself. “There’s a lot of hunting and fishing, equestrian activities—we are sports crazy here,” Lear says of the natural backdrop that supports the region’s rich quality of life.

There are very friendly and helpful people in the county. “Companies considering the county seem surprised by how friendly we are.” One of the most memorable assets is the historic district in Cheraw. “We have some lovely homes in our eight municipalities, but Cheraw has the largest neighborhood of stately homes.” Lear states that she loves the 1884 “Old Courthouse” in Chesterfield too.

Chesterfield County is also home to H. Cooper Black Memorial Field Trial and Recreation Area, a state park that serves as one of the premier field trial facilities in the country, as well as ClubMX, which is one of the top 10 training facilities for motocross in the world. Such amenities demonstrate the diversity of Chesterfield County and the reputation it has earned at home and around the world. Cheraw State Park has just rebuilt the greens on their course. White Plains Golf Course outside of Pageland is a wonderful place for a day of golf or to enjoy the restaurant there.

By continuing to leverage its many advantages, seizing opportunities that present themselves, and utilizing tried and true methods of development, Chesterfield County continues to set and achieve development goals that will add value for everyone who calls the region home. Lear stresses that all progress is the result of teamwork. “We’re fortunate that Chesterfield County Council recognizes the value of a strong economic development office.” This says a lot about a rural community with big dreams and the potential for growth, as well as its ability to make its visions a reality through setting goals and developing strategies to see them through.

The post A Rural Community With Big Dreams and Even Greater Potential<p class="company">Chesterfield County, South Carolina</p> appeared first on Manufacturing In Focus.

In Greensboro, Honda Aircraft Company builds business jets just a short distance from where JetZero plans to manufacture its next generation of commercial aircraft. Across Guilford County in High Point, thousands of buyers and exhibitors arrive twice a year for one of the world’s largest home furnishings markets. Elsewhere in the county, companies are producing pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and specialized industrial equipment.

It’s a remarkable range of industries for a region once best known for textiles, tobacco, and furniture. But manufacturing has been part of the local economy for generations, and that experience continues to attract companies looking for places to expand or establish new operations.

Approximately 31,400 people work in manufacturing across Guilford County. Greensboro, North Carolina’s third-largest city, and neighboring High Point anchor an economy with major international companies, research institutions, transportation infrastructure, and a growing network of advanced manufacturers.

Manufacturing takes new forms
Lenovo has manufactured technology products in Whitsett for nearly two decades. In 2026, the company expanded its North Carolina Smart Campus to increase production of servers and high-performance computing equipment, adding hundreds of jobs.

Lumentum is bringing another type of technology manufacturing to Greensboro. The company selected a 240,000-square-foot facility to produce optical components and lasers used in artificial intelligence data centers. Its plans include hundreds of millions of dollars in investment and more than 400 retained and new jobs.

For Marvin J. Price, Executive Vice President of Economic Development at the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, the variety of industries reflects how much the region’s economy has changed.

“A hundred years ago, we were furniture, textiles, and tobacco; now we are doing aviation, corporate headquarters, and logistics,” Price says.

High Point is seeing changes of its own. The city recorded $97 million in new capital investment and 422 new full-time jobs in 2025. Among its recent announcements is Swamp Rider, a Canadian manufacturer that selected High Point for its first U.S. production facility. The company makes amphibious vehicles used in energy, mining, emergency response, and other industries.

Yet furniture remains central to High Point’s economy and international identity. Twice a year, High Point Market attracts approximately 75,000 attendees and 2,000 exhibitors to more than 11.5 million square feet of showroom space. Its estimated annual economic impact is $6.73 billion.

Peter Bishop, who leads economic development for the City of High Point, says the local furniture industry has adapted to changes in global manufacturing.

“We still manufacture a lot of furniture, home furnishings, office and institutional products,” Bishop says. Much of the production that remains is custom, high-value work, supported by the area’s long experience in design and manufacturing.

High Point’s international reach extends beyond furniture. More than 80 internationally headquartered companies maintain year-round facilities in the city. Piedmont Centre, a business park covering more than 1,100 acres, is home to over 170 companies and approximately 11,000 employees.

An aerospace industry built over time
Aviation has become one of Greensboro’s most recognizable industrial strengths, although its development has taken decades.

Honda Aircraft celebrated its 20^th anniversary in 2026. The company designs, engineers, and manufactures the HondaJet at its global headquarters at Piedmont Triad International Airport and is developing the larger HondaJet Echelon.

The airport also supports a substantial aircraft maintenance and engineering industry. AAR acquired HAECO Americas in 2025, adding Greensboro’s established aircraft maintenance operations to its network. The company expanded its local engineering capabilities through another acquisition in 2026.

Then came JetZero.

In 2025, the California-based aircraft manufacturer selected Piedmont Triad International Airport for its first commercial aircraft production facility. Its plans call for more than $4.7 billion in investment and more than 14,500 jobs, the largest economic development project in North Carolina history based on job commitments.

The announcement followed years of investment in airport infrastructure and industrial property. Approximately 1,000 acres have been prepared for additional aerospace development, giving companies access to the airport and the region’s existing aviation operations.

For JetZero and other aviation employers, workforce training is another important part of the picture. Guilford Technical Community College’s Aviation Campus offers programs in aircraft structures, aerospace machining, aviation electronics, maintenance, and other specialized fields.

A broader manufacturing base
While aerospace has generated some of the region’s largest announcements, Guilford County is also expanding its presence in life sciences and medical technology.

In High Point, Cambrex completed a $38 million expansion of its pharmaceutical manufacturing operation, adding laboratory space and doubling production capacity. The city also welcomed Torvan Medical, a Canadian medical equipment manufacturer establishing its first U.S. facility.

Greensboro is home to Gilero, a Sanner Group company that opened a new manufacturing facility in 2025. The operation produces components for medical devices and pharmaceutical packaging.

The region’s universities contribute through research and partnerships with industry. Gateway Research Park, a collaboration between North Carolina A&T State University and UNC Greensboro, is home to the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. Its laboratories and specialized equipment support research with applications in advanced manufacturing, life sciences, and technology.

For companies developing new products, those resources offer opportunities to work with university researchers and access specialized equipment close to their manufacturing operations.

A countywide approach to economic development
Greensboro and High Point have distinct economic identities, but they work together when recruiting companies and supporting business expansion.

Through the Guilford County Economic Development Alliance, the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, High Point Economic Development, and Guilford County coordinate their economic development efforts. The partnership helps companies evaluate available sites, connect with workforce and education resources, and navigate the process of establishing or expanding operations.

The region’s location is another advantage. Five major interstate routes run through or around Greensboro, four port cities are within 285 miles, and Piedmont Triad International Airport provides passenger, cargo, and industrial aviation capabilities.

For manufacturers, those connections provide access to suppliers and customers throughout the Southeast and beyond.

As the region attracts larger projects, the work doesn’t end with an announcement. Companies need employees, infrastructure, and support as they move toward production.

That challenge is especially significant with JetZero’s planned hiring and the continued growth of other advanced manufacturers. Local employers, colleges, universities, and workforce organizations are working to expand training programs and introduce more students to careers in these industries.

Guilford County’s manufacturing history helped establish the workforce, business relationships, and infrastructure that companies rely on today. With billions of dollars in planned investment and thousands of jobs on the horizon, Greensboro and High Point are preparing for a much larger manufacturing economy than the one they inherited.

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In addition to these assets, there is a “close-knit business community here where relationships really matter. Handshakes go a long way. You just won’t find that in other locations. We want to build an economy that creates opportunities for current residents and employers and future generations as well,” she adds.

Approximately 69,000 people live in Stanly County, according to recent U.S. Census data, up from 62,494 residents in 2020. The median household income was $60,704 in 2024. The county is located roughly one hour from the Charlotte Douglas International Airport and is close to the Charlotte metropolitan area, which has an overall population of nearly three million people.

As Kazimir points out, there’s plenty of land available in Stanly County for companies looking to set up or expand. In particular, a pair of municipally owned sites, Riverstone Industrial Park and Albemarle Business Center, are primed for new tenants. Riverstone is a 24-plus-acre greenfield site with easy access to Interstate 485 and an abundant supply of natural gas (courtesy of the Piedmont Natural Gas Company, Inc.).

The Albemarle Business Center is a 282-acre Class A industrial park fronting North Carolina Highways 24 and 27 and United States Route 52 (a national highway stretching over 2,000 miles across the central and southeast regions of the country). Zoned for heavy industrial, the Center offers sites ranging from five to over 120 acres and can accommodate buildings reaching one million square feet in size.

These two sites represent “really important recruitment assets for us. We’ve also got all different types of private property options as well,” notes Kazimir.

Property and sales taxes in Stanly County are low, as are utility and construction costs, and companies thinking about putting down roots in the county can take advantage of various incentives including tax breaks, training grants, and a streamlined licensing and permitting process. “Our role is to understand what the company’s needs are. Then we can identify some eligible programs. We do have a very aggressive performance grant policy here in Stanly County. It’s very much dependent on a company’s size and scope,” Kazimir explains.

There is a common denominator to all the EDC’s work: “The goal here is to reduce the barriers to investment for companies,” she adds.

The main industries in Stanly are manufacturing (employing 4,730 people, according to DataUSA, health care/social assistance (employing 4,179 people), and retail trade (accounting for 3,385 jobs). Top employers in the area include the Michelin Aircraft Tire Corporation (a Michelin branch specializing in tires for airplanes), Fiberon (a composite decking manufacturer), Auria (a facility that produces engineered systems for vehicles), and Clayton Homes of Albemarle (a retail sales center for mobile and modular residences).

The county hopes to lure more companies within the metal/welding, aerospace/defense, and agri-business sectors. “Those are kind of the big three we actively go after and target to recruit,” says Kazimir.

Outside recruitment has been matched by initiatives aimed at bolstering the local economy. A new Trades Facility recently opened at Stanly Community College, for example. The Trades Facility is now called the Brown Building, in honor of Richard Lane Brown III, a revered state politician who was instrumental in launching Stanly College in 1971.

Comprising 31,600 square feet, the Brown Building features state-of-the-art equipment and classrooms to train students in plumbing, air conditioning/heating/refrigeration technology, and engineering, among other programs. “While other communities are struggling to find employees and workers in the trades, we are actively training the next generation,” notes Kazimir proudly.

The Brown Building has been in operation for less than a year, “so we’re not able to see the effects of it quite yet, until we get some graduates. I’m very excited for it and think it’s a huge case for workforce development in Stanly County and a great reminder of what can happen when we put our resources together,” she continues.

Stanly Community College has an array of other programs including accounting, animal science, information systems, business, math, marketing, and more, and the county is also host to Pfeiffer University, a four-year institution founded in 1885, with a main campus in the community of Misenheimer and a branch in Albemarle. Pfeiffer University offers undergraduate academic faculties of business, education, humanities, natural and health sciences, nursing, and social and behavioral sciences. Graduate-level courses at Pfeiffer U include a renowned Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MS-PAS) program. This program covers a range of healthcare-related fields such as surgery, emergency medicine, orthopedics, internal medicine, mental health, women’s health, and more, and many of its graduates go on to take jobs within the state.

“It’s really wonderful. They’re doing great things there and supplying North Carolina’s rural doctors,” says Kazimir. “A lot of our North Carolina PAs are going to rural environments after graduating, which is really great to see.”

The EDC promotes Stanly County with marketing campaigns, by attending trade shows, and by networking with site selectors looking for new industrial properties. The goal isn’t just to lure private businesses; Stanly County is also touted as an excellent destination for retirees. Pleasant weather, ample recreational opportunities, and a laidback ambiance are some of the county’s charms. As such, “retirement is part of our broader quality-of-life conversation,” says Kazimir.

Stanly County features a warm Mediterranean climate and plentiful forests, hills, vineyards, golf courses, and equestrian centers. Lakes Tillery and Badin offer swimming, fishing, and boating opportunities while the nearly 50-mile-long Rocky River Blueway is well-suited for kayaking and canoeing.

In addition to being welcoming to retirees, Stanly County is a family-friendly place, says Kazimir. The cost of living is low and houses are affordable (the median value of an owner-occupied home is $242,400). Prospective buyers can choose from an assortment of housing stock ranging from lakefront homes to Victorian houses, working farms, and country manors. The mean commuting time for Stanly County workers, meanwhile, is a little over 28 minutes.

Residents also benefit from a low crime rate and the lively Agri-Civic Center. Open since 1989, the Agri-Civic Center can seat 1,050 people while a lobby can fit 200 guests for private events. The Center has played host to live shows, graduation ceremonies, conferences, and wedding receptions.

Other county attractions include Juneberry Ridge, a huge site with over 400 acres of trails for cycling, mountain biking, and hiking, clay target shooting facilities, a conference center, cottages, and fishing ponds, among other amenities. Juneberry hosts a summer series of concerts, boasts a rainwater harvesting network, and uses renewable energy systems.

Recent community events in Stanly County include the 2^nd Annual Still Runs Harvest Hootenanny (a celebration with classic cars, food vendors, and live music) and “Sonatas in The Sanctuary,” an afternoon devoted to classic music performances at an Albemarle church. Albemarle is also the site of the Badin Road Drive-in Theater, one of the only remaining sites of its kind in North Carolina. This drive-in still lures big crowds with regular film screenings.

The county also played host to the Historic Badin Hardaway Pow Wow, a two-day celebration of regional Indigenous tribes. The area that today is Stanly County was once occupied by members of the Cheraw, Tuscarora, and Keyauwee tribes. Following European settlement, Stanly County was formed in 1841 and named after a prominent 19^th century North Carolina politician, John Stanly.

The population rose from under 7,000 people in 1850 to 15,220 by 1900. Growth continued and by 1990, approximately 52,000 people called Stanly County home. Farms in the area raised cotton, corn, wheat, and livestock, while industry grew apace.

While Stanly County is on an upward trajectory, it still faces challenges, particularly when it comes to the availability of buildings that can accommodate prospective businesses. As Kazimir explains, the county needs more speculative industrial development to meet the needs of companies looking to establish or expand operations. Addressing this gap will be important to translating the region’s advantages into continued investment and job creation.

While Kazimir would like to see Stanly County beef up its building inventory, Stanly County has a compelling foundation on which to build. Its strategic location near Charlotte, competitive business costs, available industrial land, and commitment to workforce development position it to pursue new opportunities while strengthening the industries already established in the region. At the same time, its affordable housing, recreational amenities, and close-knit community offer an appealing quality of life for families, retirees, and the skilled workers who will help shape its future.

By bringing together economic opportunity and a welcoming place to live, Stanly County is working to create an environment where businesses can thrive and residents can build lasting futures. For Kazimir, the region’s appeal is clear: “We’ve got something really special here in Stanly County. A hidden gem if you will.” With continued investment and a focus on sustainable growth, this hidden gem may not remain hidden for much longer.

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