“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.

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