Small Town South Carolina

Sponsored by Santee Cooper and Progress Energy

Die-casters, heavy fabricators: A ready-made expansion awaits in Clarendon County, SC

By Trisha Ostrowski

During economic slowdowns as severe as this, it can be hard to find a silver lining. But the head of economic development for Clarendon County, South Carolina, believes he has two silver linings for companies looking to expand: two turnkey manufacturing facilities with equipment­—and ready workers—that could be up and running in weeks.

“These buildings are literally ‘plug and play,’” says John Truluck, executive director of the Clarendon County Development Board. “This is a way for companies to save time and money. Companies locating here could get their facility up and running in one month or less, versus one year. For any company thinking about acting, this is the opportunity to jump.”

The first building is perfect for a die-casting operation that does a lot of CNC machining. Buyers will have the opportunity to buy the building with machinery and equipment in place, including rows of CNC precision machinery.

The other facility is tailored for a heavy manufacturing operation; this building will also be sold with equipment. Four heavy cranes cover almost the entire shop floor, and the ground-level building can handle heavy machinery. The building has 20 drive-in doors and has a large paint booth to accommodate an 18-wheeler.

The building was previously used to make tanker trailers, and would be appropriate for a variety of heavy fabrication or heavy welding operations.

Central connections, rural advantages

Both buildings are located just off I-95 in the Clarendon County Industrial Park. I-95 is the East Coast’s main north-south route, running from Maine to Florida.

In fact, the heavy manufacturing facility is visible from the Interstate. “With this property, the inventory—boats, RVs, whatever—literally becomes a billboard,” says Truluck.

The facilities are perfectly situated for businesses that rely on easy, fast shipping channels to distribute products to customers or receive shipments from suppliers. Along with an I-95 location, the facilities are within 30 minutes of I-20 (east-west, from SC to Texas) and I-26 (northwest-southeast, from SC to Tennessee). The county is within a day’s drive of major East Coast population centers and 70 percent of all U.S. markets.

Access to global markets is easy, too: The Port of Charleston is just over an hour away and is accessible by interstate and rail.

While Clarendon County’s central location and comprehensive infrastructure provide quick access to suppliers and customers, businesses also gain an advantage from the county’s rural setting: a motivated and trainable labor pool whose members are eager for new opportunities.

Solid work ethic and top-notch training

“I would describe the workers in Clarendon County as easy to get along with and interested in doing a good job,” says Michael Harrington, who has worked 31 years with the same company. “Many people want to continue to live in Clarendon County and want to work here, rather than having to drive to bigger cities to find a job. That’s why our workforce is so eager to learn new skills and cooperate with prospective employers.”

Clarendon County has no union activity and is located in a right-to-work state with extremely low work-stoppage rates and workers’ compensation rates.

A recent study by a workforce-assessment firm found that the Clarendon County area has more than 100,000 unemployed or under-employed workers. Hundreds of workers have been affected by recent layoffs at three metalworking plants in the county.

“Our workers are ready to step in immediately and do a good job” for the new tenants, says Truluck. He notes that there are plenty of workers who have an existing skill set in metalworking, including tank welding. “They have a higher skill set than most welders,” he adds.

Clarendon’s industry leaders speak highly of the local workforce.

“Over the last several years, we’ve been able to achieve an attendance rate of 99.74 percent, which is outstanding and the best of any facility company-wide,” says Chris Drose, site manager for Arvin Meritor, an automotive supplier.

Drose also cites the quality of South Carolina’s workforce training program, readySC™, which offers customized workforce training at no cost to qualified companies.

“More than 75 percent of our workforce has been with us at least five years,” says Kay Finley, corporate human resources manager for Trimaco, a paint sundries manufacturer. “I would describe the workers we’ve found in Clarendon County as friendly, dedicated, loyal, and hard-working. We have an easy group of people to work with here.”

“The work ethic here is solid. Our company has been operating in Clarendon County for almost 35 years and we still have employees who were among the original hires,” says Alana Rogers, human resources manager for automotive supplier Federal Mogul.

Aggressive incentives

Companies that locate in Clarendon County can take advantage of the highest level of incentives available in South Carolina.

These include tax credits for job creation, incentives that offset property taxes, and numerous sales tax exemptions that reduce upfront and recurring costs on equipment. Even more generous incentives are available to companies that pay an hourly wage higher than the Clarendon County average.

Time is right

Die-casting and heavy fabrication manufacturers have a rare opportunity to jump-start an expansion in Clarendon County with a fully equipped and ready-to-staff facility. Clarendon’s market accessibility and the hard-working tradition of its rural workforce make the offer even more appealing.