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Forever helping.

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Table of

CONTENTS

AGRICULTURE IN S.C. 12 Farmers, producers go high-tech for better yields 20 Uncertainty in agribusiness amid trade war 24 Vertical Roots’ fresh approach to farming 28 S.C. alpaca farmers bond, share knowledge 32 Tree farm program promotes resource management 34 Metrology Lab keeps S.C. weights, measures accurate About the cover: Alicia Holbrook’s daughter with a Carolina Pride Pastures alpaca. (Photo/Brandi Graham Photography)

Tim Jones works in the S.C. Department of Agriculture’s Metrology Lab in Columbia. The facility is responsible for verifying the accuracy of weights and measurements in many industries across the state, including manufacturing, agriculture, aerospace and automotive. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

SPECIAL SECTION WHICH 20 LARGE AND 20 SMALL COMPANIES IN S.C. WERE THE FASTEST-GROWING? FIND OUT IN THIS ISSUE OF SCBIZ.

37

DEPARTMENTS 6 Upfront www.scbizmag.com

12 Research SC

2

16 County Spotlight: Lexington 56 S.C. Delivers 64 1,000 Words

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION SCBIZ reaches thousands of South Carolina’s top decision-makers.

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From the

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Dear Reader,

EDITOR

It is stating the painfully obvious that we all need farmers. It would be a harsh world indeed without grocery stores, restaurants, markets and roadside stands full of the stuff we need for sustenance.

We depend on those hard-working, knowledgeable people who create food by blending seeds, soil and water in an almost magical alchemy that ends up on our tables.

South Carolina’s early economy literally grew out of the ground in the form of cotton, rice, indigo, tobacco and more that has provided food, clothing and other goods since the first settlers landed on our shores in the 1600s.

Our state’s modern economy is much more diverse, of course, but agriculture is still at the heart of the Palmetto State. This issue of SCBIZ magazine, in partnership with the S.C. Department of Agriculture, focuses on some of the trends and issues affecting farmers, exporters and researchers statewide.

The ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China has churned just Steve McDaniel about every sector of the economy, none more so than agriculture. ImEditor, port tariffs on Chinese wheat, corn and other staples raise prices on our SCBIZ Magazine side of the world, while tariffs imposed by China are negatively affecting soybean, cotton and peanut exporters here in S.C. We talked to some economic experts about this uncertainty to get a clearer picture of what’s going on and what might be in store for the future.

Agriculture might seem to be an industry that would need less in the way of technological advancement than most, but the fact is that the food-growing professionals rely heavily on new technology to increase efficiencies. From robotic milking machines to smartphone apps that track crop yields, today’s farmers and food producers are immersed in advanced technology in a way most couldn’t have imagined 15 or 20 years ago.

A service most of us wouldn’t associate with the S.C. Department of Agriculture is in calibration and validation of weights and measures for a variety of industries. The department’s Metrology Lab in Columbia goes to extraordinary lengths to ensure accuracy down to several decimal places for things as large as airplane parts and as small as pharmaceutical weights the size of an eyelash.

This issue of SCBIZ also devotes a large section to the Roaring Twenties, a program that recognizes the fastest-growing companies in the state. You can find brief biographies and photos of the winners in the large and small categories in the back of the issue.

As always, thanks for reading SCBIZ magazine and for helping drive South Carolina’s thriving economy.

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3

From the South Carolina

COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE Dear Fellow South Carolinians,

A

Hugh E. Weathers, South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture

gribusiness is the No. 1 industry in South Carolina. With an annual impact of $42 billion, it is an integral part of the state’s economy. The Department of Agriculture continues to seek new agribusiness opportunities for our state, promote and advocate the growth of existing agribusinesses, and work with officials and business/state leaders to push for a positive environment for economic development.

South Carolina is perfectly positioned to greet new agribusiness development with an efficient port on the coast, a chain of inland ports, and efficient rail and highway systems.

South Carolina is within a quick, two-day drive of 75% of the U.S. population, an estimated 248 million people, which gives agribusinesses a strategic position by investing in our state.

Agricultural entrepreneurship plays an important and exciting role in the state’s economic development landscape. The Department houses an initiative, the Agribusiness Research Center for Entrepreneurship, to help the next generation of innovative thinkers put their ideas to work in agriculture.

Even if you’ve never stepped foot on a farm, you can be connected to agriculture. You can be an ambassador for our farmers. Many residents in South Carolina recognize the Certified SC Grown logo in their local grocery stores, markets and roadside stands across the state. By buying local you help support South Carolina farmers.

Wether you’re a business leader, legislator, educator or consumer, farmers in South Carolina depend on your support — when you make policy or make dinner for your families.

Thank you for keeping agriculture in your thoughts when you make choices for your family, your business, our state.

Working together, we will continue to grow this industry that feeds South Carolina in more ways than one.

Sincerely,

www.scbizmag.com

Hugh E. Weathers South Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture

4

VIEWPOINT SCBIZ magazine is the resource South Carolina businesses need for statewide business news and information.

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5

UPFRONT regional news | data

NCAA regional generated $11.3 million in economic impact

By Melinda Waldrop

T

he NCAA men’s basketball regional held in Columbia in March brought a direct economic impact of $11.3 million to the capital city, a study by University of South Carolina sport and entertainment management professor Tom Regan found.

The first and second rounds of the tournament, featuring Duke superstar Zion Williamson and eventual national champion Virginia, drew 47,977 fans from 33 states, Washington, D.C., and Canada, according to the study. That total ranked highest among the country’s eight first- and second-round NCAA sites.

The study measured direct spending by out-of-town visitors attending NCAA games at Colonial Life Arena, home to the University of South Carolina men’s and women’s basketball teams, and related events. Initial estimates projected 25,000

Virginia players warm up before their NCAA regional game in Columbia in March. The Cavaliers went on to win the NCAA Championship.

(Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

fans and an economic impact of up to $9 million. The presence of high-profile players such as Williamson and elite nearby programs in Duke and Virginia combined to make Columbia a big draw for fans.

“Columbia and the region got tremen-

dous exposure – exposure that would be very hard to pay for if we had to fork out those dollars,” Bill Ellen, president and CEO of Experience Columbia SC, said at a news conference to discuss the release of the economic report.

Section begins on

FAST FACTS | Agriculture in S.C. $485.3 million

www.scbizmag.com

Total investments announced by agribusiness firms in 2018

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$41.7 billion

Annual agricultural economic impact

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68,000 Jobs

directly supported by state’s agribusiness industry

9.1%

Percentage of state’s total economic output attributed to agribusiness

25,000

Farms in South Carolina Source: S.C. Department of Commerce

Redevelopment starts on one of the world’s largest old mills

A

hundred years ago, about 400 homes were built outside Woodside Mill to supply the Woodside brothers with workers. Now Woodside homes are under construction again, but this time inside the mill.

A number of plans for the old mill have been proposed and dropped since it closed in 1984, but by the time Crossgate Partners had an official groundbreaking on Oct. 16, workers were already making progress on the site. Crossgate Managing Partner Randy Moore said he expects to deliver the first of 307 luxury apartments in 16 months or sooner.

He said the stout condition of the cavernous old brick structure is helping the project move along quickly.

“You’re looking at a building that was built over 110 years ago,” Moore said. “It’s fascinating to see that the condition of the building is in such good shape as it is right now. (Founders) John T. Woodside and his

brother David set out on a very ambitious goal of being No. 1 in the market and owning the largest mill.”

The interior of the main building includes almost 500,000 square feet of space that will be adapted into the Lofts at Woodside Mill — apartments, common areas, meeting rooms Councilwoman Lillian Brock Fleming hopes the project boosts the whole neighborhood. (Photo/Ross Norton) and a yoga studio, offices and a wine tasting room, among other amenities. Other one roof anywhere.

“It had weaving rooms and dye houses buildings on the grounds will be transand things like that,” he said after taking part formed into commercial space, including a in the groundbreaking ceremony. “They brew pub, Moore said. started opening the bale all the way through According to Jim Woodside, greatweaving, dyeing and finishing. It was a comnephew of the Woodside brothers, the mill plete textile mill all the way through.” in 1927 was the largest complete mill under

UPFRONT

By Ross Norton

www.scbizmag.com

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UPFRONT

S.C. Manufacturing Conference is state’s largest

8

T

he 2019 S.C. Manufacturing Conference and Expo featured 282 exhibitors and nearly 3,000 attendees and speakers representing government and industry, making it the state’s largest manufacturing conference to date.

The conference, held Oct. 29-30 in North Charleston, was sponsored by SC Biz News, the S.C. Manufacturing Extension Partnership and SC Aerospace, a South Carolina Council on Competitiveness initiative that promotes the state’s aerospace industry.

Rick Jenkins, publisher of GSA Business Report in Greenville and conference director, said the event has grown significantly

since the first conference in 2015. That event featured 150 exhibitors and about 1,500 attendees. The 2019 conference saw about 2,800 attendees.

“The conference has grown a lot, and I attribute that to just how important manufacturing is in South Carolina,” Jenkins said prior to the 2019 conference. “It’s not just BMW anymore; it’s Volvo, Daimler, Boeing, but more important than that, we have all of these support companies that manufacture things the big companies need.”

Highlights included a Salute to Manufacturing awards luncheon with Gov. Henry McMaster as featured speaker; an aerospace lun-

cheon; 2020 auto, aerospace and tire economic forecasts; a Manufacturing 4.0 breakfast; an executive women’s panel and more.

Jenkins said there are two things the conference sought to accomplish.

“One is to provide the type of content that manufacturing employees want to hear; along with that content comes the training courses that SCMEP provides,” he said. “Second, we want to bring in the supply chain companies, which are our exhibitors, to talk to the manufacturers and to try to create matches and business — and provide a place for that business to occur.”

The S.C. Manufacturing Conference was held Oct. 29-30 in North Charleston. More than 275 businesses participated in the event that drew almost 3,000 attendees.

Companies showcased their products and services, and speakers included Gov. Henry McMaster, state Commerce Secretary Bobby Hitt, and CEOs and other leaders of our state’s industries. (Photos/Kim McManus)

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orth Charleston Mayor Keith Summey said he anticipates the new, $14 million North Charleston Athletic Center to be an economic driver of sports tourism, attracting regional, statewide and national tournament play.

A grand opening and ribboncutting ceremony for the facility, at 5794 Casper Padgett Way in North Charleston, was held in October.

“The North Charleston Athletic Center will be the flagship of our recreation programming for our residents, granting greater access to a larger number of competitive sports, right in our backyard,” Summey said in a news release. “At the end of the day, it’s about giving our youth a year-round athletic center to promote teamwork, leadership and wellness.”

The North Charleston Athletic Center is 51,000 square feet and comprises three indoor gymnasiums for multipurpose use, plus community meeting and event space. The facility has been designed to host competitive and recreational sports including basketball, pickleball, wrestling, volleyball, cheerleading and soccer.

Recreation Director Ed Barfield said the city’s recreational programming has taken a huge leap forward with the opening of the new center.

“We can now fulfill the countless requests to host large-scale youth events while granting greater access for recreational play, from youth to adult,” Barfield said.

Trane celebrates Richland County plant expansion

By Renee Sexton

UPFRONT

T

he Trane assembly plant in Richland County is now 1 million square feet, and a company president says the company is not done

S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster (center) tours the expanded Trane manufacturing plant in Northeast Columbia. (Photo/Renee Sexton)

www.scbizmag.com

growing.

Donny Simmons, president of Trane Commercial North America, Europe, Middle East and Africa, cut the ribbon on the plant’s 700,000 square-foot addition surrounded by Richland County leaders, company executives and employees who had been working at the plant off Killian Road since it first opened in 2003. S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster also attended the ceremony.

Simmons said Trane’s parent company, Ingersoll Rand, “looked all over the country for a place to build this facility.”

The Northeast Columbia plant, which expanded by 680,000 square feet in 2017, is one of 20 manufacturing locations Trane operates in the Americas. It makes components and units for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

The $100 million-plus addition includes rooftop solar panels that Simmons said is part of the company’s efforts to reduce CO2 emissions by 1 gigaton. The 1,342-kilowatt solar system will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 74,000 metric tons and will provide about 10% of the power needed to run the plant, the company said.

“Anytime we get the opportunity to build a new factory like we have here in Columbia, we put state-of-the-art equipment in it,” Simmons said. “We put a stateof-the-art customer center here where we can take customers through and show them all of the systems that we produce and how they interact with one another and the efficiencies associated with that. It also gives us the ability to do things around sustainability so we put the most efficient equipment that we have in place.”

With 85 acres at the facility at 400 Killian Road, company officials say there is plenty more room at the site to expand again.

11

Research S.C.: Agriculture High-tech innovations increase efficiency, yields

By Jim Tatum

www.scbizmag.com

G

12

ary Larson, the cartoonist who created “The Far Side,” once featured a cartoon with the caption, “The modern farmer and his cow phone,” which depicted a farmer in a field talking on a mobile phone apparently installed onto one of his cows. Obviously, the cartoon was poking gentle fun at America’s then-obsession with a hot new technology, the car phone.

And yet, Larson’s cartoon was somewhat prescient. Today’s farmer may not be coordinating planting schedules with a cow phone, but she might very well be calibrating fertilizer levels or checking on crop yields from her smart phone. Tractor drivers, and other equipment operators may very well need technical skills above and beyond the ability to operate farm machinery.

Today, the agricultural industry is experiencing a significant technology surge across the spectrum, from administrative/ management issues to actual tasks and functions. From GPS mapping of row crop fields, precision irrigation and fertilization technology to automated farm equipment, modern farming is becoming every bit as technologically advanced as almost any other industry sector.

Clemson University’s LaMaster Dairy Farm recently bought and installed three robotic milking machines, which went online in July. The robots service around 180 cows, according to Dr. John Andrae, assistant director of Clemson University’s Experiment Station. The robots perform the milking duties, cleaning, milking, sorting product, and they do it 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at the most optimum production time for each cow.

Clemson University recently implemented three automatic milking robots in its LaMaster Dairy Farm operation. (Photos/Clemson University)

What is especially interesting about the process is that the cows themselves voluntarily come to the machines. They learn quickly that the milking robots will provide them food when they come to be milked.

How it works is fairly simple: The cow goes to a smart gate, which reads the cow’s ear tag to determine how often that cow should be permitted to go to the robot. If it is time, the gate opens to the milking area and the cow can approach the robot, which will dispense sweet feed “candy” pellets for the cow. The robot will automatically hook up the milking apparatus, perform the milking procedure, then clean and disinfect the teats.

If it is not yet time, the gate will return the cow to the main herd, where she will stay until it’s time for her to be milked. The cows cannot leave the holding area until they have completed the process.

The cows are also equipped with a device, similar to a Fitbit, which is attached to a collar. The device can determine the cow’s general health, from how much activity she is getting to whether she is ready to breed. If there is some problem — a medical issue, an issue with the milk, even a cow that doesn’t want to leave the milker — the system can send an alert via phone app and computer to staff so that they can address that issue.

Dairy Manager Steve Waggoner said dairy staff, and the cows, are still learning, but he believes the robots are working out well.

“I think the information we can access and the labor savings are probably going to be the biggest advantages of this,” Waggoner said.

Another point to consider is the idea that this is a very “cow friendly” process, Waggoner noted. The new milking barn is very comfortable for the cows, with rubber

A large group awaits a demonstration of the new robotic milkers at LaMaster Dairy Farm.

processing plant, whether it’s poultry or red meat. Issues such as animal welfare, traceability, carbon footprint, labor issues, water usage — all these things are important points that your customers want to know are being addressed.”

These are all issues that Prestage Farms takes very seriously, Prestage said.

“Traceability is a major issue, for example,” he said. “People want to know where their food comes from and under what conditions it was raised and processed. We recently built a new meat processing plant

in Iowa; we can literally trace every animal that comes through that plant. I can quickly access data that shows a pork chop came from a certain pig from a certain farm. You couldn’t do that 20 years ago — the technology wasn’t there yet.”

Because the plants are far more automated, labor needs have changed. Most of the jobs now require much more technical expertise.

“In a new plant, the need is more for highly technically skilled labor,” Prestage said. “There’s always going to be a need for some unskilled positions, but, basically, with a fully automated plant, we’ve eliminated a lot of the unpleasant jobs people just don’t like to do.”

This not only has translated to significant improvements in workplace safety, but overall food safety as well. With an automated plant, the sanitation and processing procedures have very little, if any, opportunity for human contamination. It also augments animal welfare, the idea being that, while the animals are being raised for food, their lives should be as painless, healthy and stress-free as possible.

RESEARCH S.C.

mats to walk on, fresh sand to lie on and high ceilings to allow for comfortable air flow and temperature. Also, because of the voluntary nature of the process — the cow essentially decides it wants to be milked and associates that with receiving a treat — milking can be done at optimum times and frequency for each cow.

“We can even recycle the sand they lie on,” he said. “We get a lot of savings that way; we recycle 85-90 percent of that.”

Waggoner said he is seeing more large dairies move to robotic milkers but believes that they can be a real advantage for smaller dairies as well.

Another sector undergoing great technological implementation is meat and poultry production, said Dr. Ron Prestage, President/Owner of Prestage Farms, one of the nation’s largest producers of meat and poultry.

“We are doing things today that we couldn’t have done 20 years ago, simply because the technology didn’t exist yet, that has truly revolutionized our business,” Prestage said. “Today, there are issues that you have to take into account in a new

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RESEARCH S.C. A robotic milking machine at work at Clemson’s LaMaster Dairy Farm.

Record-keeping and data retrieval have improved greatly, as well. Staff all carry iPad computers with which they can access real time data across the company, making it not only much easier for staff, but also government regulators, to locate and retrieve needed information.

“For example, we track service reports on

iPads — FDA and USDA can look at that any time,” he said.

“It wasn’t until about six or seven years ago that we could even do that,” Prestage said. “Now, FDA and USDA can access that information easily. The workplace is now much safer, our carbon footprint is much less, our data is far more accurate. We know

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exactly what our yields are versus what our costs are. We are light years ahead of where we were just a few years ago.”

Row crop production is another area that is experiencing a surge in technological advances. Dr. Michael Plumblee is the Precision Agriculture Extension Specialist with Clemson University’s Edisto Research & Education Center. His work focuses on providing growers with recommendations and support on how to best utilize new and existing precision agriculture technologies in their operations. Some of his current research includes evaluating and developing soil moisture sensor thresholds in various row crops, variable rate prescription development for nitrogen and seeding, chemigation applications, and pesticide applications.

These technologies yield a lot of useful and timely information; the trick is coming up with applicable solutions. Many variables are involved and not all criteria may fit all geographic locations.

“There are a lot of questions that need to be answered,” Plumblee said. “We can do a lot of things but being able to do it and then make a business decision quickly from the

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data is where the void is.”

Still, certain technologies, such as GPS guidance systems, are not only taking hold but are practically industry standard, he said.

“You spend $200,000 on a tractor, it’s probably going to have some kind of a GPS guidance system on it,” he said.

Production is not the only area technology is helping re-invent. Entrepreneurs such as Jason Thomas are finding new ways to help a population concerned about food to connect with those who provide it. Thomas, a software developer, is currently developing a phone app called SOW, which is designed to connect small, local farmers to shoppers in their area that they would normally not have access to.

“The idea is to be a marketplace for direct transactions,” he said. “Right now, small farmers basically can either do on-site sales or they can attend farmers markets.

And, while farmers markets are obviously good things, they are event-based — a lot of people attend them, but don’t necessarily buy their weekly groceries there. And, many others would like to, but they’re just crunched for time. So, we are trying to build a platform where people can shop and buy direct from local smaller farms.”

Thomas is one of seven entrepreneurs who received grants in June 2019 from the S.C. Dept. of Agriculture’s Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship.

He will use that funding to further develop the software application.

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county spotlight

LEXINGTON

Boaters enjoying the waters around Bomb Island on Lake Murray (Photo/Capital City/ Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board)

GROWING INTO A PROSPEROUS FUTURE

By Jim Tatum

S

everal important elements contribute to Lexington County’s success, say county leaders. Lifelong resident and former school board and county council member Smokey Davis points to Lexington County’s

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excellent quality of life, which is underpinned by an outstanding education

16

system.

“We have invested heavily in our school districts,” Davis said. “The result

Lexington Cou by the numbersnty

Population: 295,03

2

Average per capita

is that our schools have given parents a degree of comfort in their children’s

Median age: 38.9

education, which has drawn many people over here.”

Median household

Lexington County Councilmember Todd Cullum, who also chairs the Special Advertising Section

income: $29,311

income: $57,482

Unemployment rate

: 2.9 %

Source: Based on US Cens

us Bureau data

Lexington County Council’s economic development committee, agreed.

“We have put a lot of emphasis on education in this county, not only with K-12 but with Midlands Technical College as well. In fact, Midlands Tech is one of our strongest economic development partners; they do a phenomenal job.”

The county has many natural amenities.

At the northern end of the county lies what many consider the crowning jewel, Lake Murray.

“If you ride the 500-plus miles of shoreline, you will see all the beautiful homes people have built because they love the quality of life that is offered here,” Davis said.

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: LEXINGTON

The Cayce/West Columbia Riverwalk is a popular destination for walkers, runners and anyone who loves the outdoors. It is one of many outdoor amenities in Lexington County. (Photo/Jeff Amberg)

Retail/commercial development follows residential rooftops, and the massive influx of newcomers over the past two decades certainly bears this out. Thirty years ago, there was relatively little retail in the more rural parts of the county and in places such as Lexington, Pelion and Batesburg. Today, the landscape is rapidly changing.

“Everything is certainly looking up, we’re seeing a lot of growth,” Mike Taylor, president/CEO of the Batesburg-Leesville Chamber of Commerce said. “I believe we’re doing the right things to handle it. The chamber, school district and town (Batesburg) work very well together. We’re focused on it; everyone is on the same page. It’s a very concerted effort.”

Another important quality of life aspect is an outstanding health care system, one which has thrived as it continues to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population, Otis Rawl, president and CEO of the Lexington Chamber of Commerce, said.

In fact, the health care system, Lexington Medical, has done an exemplary job of ensuring it can provide services to handle the

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COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: LEXINGTON growth, something Rawl wants to make sure is done at all levels.

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Economic development

18

Lexington County has enjoyed significant industrial growth, attracting such companies as Michelin, Nephron Pharmaceuticals, Nucor Building Systems, Amazon and others to the area. In fact, in the fiscal year 2018-2019, at least 12 companies have announced new investments or expansions in the county.

“To me, one of the biggest compliments we can ever receive is from an entity who, after initially committing to investing millions of dollars into our community, subsequently agrees to invest even more and expand operations, because they have experienced that your community is a great place to live, to work, to play, to continue to do business,” Cullum said.

Cullum readily admits that Lexington County is fortunate in many ways. From the lure of Lake Murray to proximity and ease of transporting goods and services, the county enjoys advantages across the spectrum: education, cost of living, arts/entertainment/ recreation options, and strategic location.

“We have three interstate highways in Lexington County,” he said. “We are located favorably for easy access to the state’s port.

We have a major airport nearby and access to rail. We are located less than 10 miles from a major research university. We have an outstanding quality of life. So, when major corSpecial Advertising Section

(Clockwise from top left) Columbiana Mall, Michelin, Lexington Square (Photos/Jeff Amberg) and Icehouse Amphitheater (Photo/Ralph Mayer) are all important Lexington County landmarks.

porations are looking for a place to relocate, we try to have as much of a well-rounded package to offer as possible.”

Preparing for the future Currently, Lexington County has three strategically located industrial parks, all of which have infrastructure in place and the

county remains focused on developing more product, via public/private partnerships, to offer industry, Cullum said. The county is also focused on continuing to ensure a business-friendly environment, from reasonable tax and utility rates to ease of navigating government policies, departments and requirements.

Economic development announcements 2018-2019 • Amazon Logistics, a new addition to Amazon’s network of delivery providers, opened a location in West Columbia.

• Harsco Rail, a global supplier for railway track maintenance and construction, is expanding operations in Lexington County.

• Domino’s Pizza is opening a processing facility in Lexington County aimed at supplying dough and other ingredients to its regional franchise stores.

• CMC Steel has once again expanded their Lexington County operations.

• Savage Craft Ale is expected to open a new brewery in West Columbia’s River District area in the spring of 2020.

• Garden State Lumber, a distributor of quality moldings, trim boards, sheet goods and architectural accents, has leased 150,000 sq. ft. of distribution space in the Lexington County Industrial Park.

• C.R. Jackson has announced plans to expand their operations and build a new asphalt mixing plant in the BatesburgLeesville Industrial Park.

• JUUL Labs is investing in a new manufacturing facility at 375 Metropolitan Drive.

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: LEXINGTON

This has not gone unnoticed.

“Part of what makes Lexington County one of the best places in the country to own a business is the permitting process,” Lou Kennedy, CEO of Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corp. said. “Working together with economic developers, the process is smooth, and that saves companies like ours time and money.”

Still, there are other aspects to which the county needs to turn its attention, such as infrastructural needs. For example, while South Carolina has implemented a massive roads improvement project, to be rolled out over more than a decade, there are roads many counties, including Lexington, must still maintain.

“I think there were missed chances in years past to deal with some of those issues,” Rawl said. “I think we need to be more creative in our approach to economic development.”

Rawl said he believes the county needs to continue to develop industrial parks and spec buildings, find ways to augment funding for infrastructure needs such as through a penny sales tax referendum and continue to focus on workforce development.

Taylor said one challenge, at least for his area of the county, will be to maintain the charm and character that small-town, rural western Lexington County enjoys.

“I’ve had people ask me, ‘Do you live in a time warp?’” Taylor said.

“But that’s one of the things that makes our area desirable.”

Taylor said he believes the various entities are doing a good job in maintaining the balance.

“We’re all on the same page here, something I think is pretty unique in this day and age,” he said.

• Ferrous Engineering and Tool is making a new investment in Lexington County.

• Nucor Building Systems South Carolina, has announced an expansion in Lexington County.

• Laguna Tools, a new tenant within the Lexington County Industrial Park, is expected to create 20 new jobs with a $1.75 million investment.

• Terminix pest control company has outgrown its Lexington County regional headquarters and has announced a $19.1 million expansion that is expected to create 40 new jobs.

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TRENDING: AGRICULTURE IN S.C.

Trade war, environment putting S.C. agriculture in a tight spot

By Patrick Hoff

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A

20

lmost two years after President Donald Trump began imposing tariffs on Chinese goods, agriculture prices have dropped but South Carolina’s economy remains stable, according to economists.

Trump began imposing tariffs on Chinese imports in March 2018, starting with steel and aluminum and before moving into other commodities, such as biopharmaceuticals and agriculture products. China has responded in kind with tariffs on comparable goods.

China is among South Carolina’s top export markets, receiving 16% of goods exported from the state.

Adam Kantrovich, associate professor of agribusiness and extension economist at Clemson University, said it’s difficult to say what the impact of the trade war has been on South Carolina farmers because the Palmetto State isn’t a major agricultural producing state like Iowa or California, where the impacts of the trade war have been felt most acutely.

South Carolina’s top 10 agricultural commodities include cotton, corn, cattle, soybeans, peanuts, eggs, wheat, broilers, turkeys and greenhouse nurseries, accord-

ing to the S.C. Department of Agriculture.

The state has about 25,000 farms that encompass 4.9 million total acres, and South Carolina agriculture is worth about $3 billion annually, between crops and livestock.

Kantrovich said, though, that what happens nationally ends up affecting the commodities prices and export quantities in the state.

“If the trade war hadn’t taken place, we would have hoped to continue to see growth. Unfortunately, it has created a barrier to growth that we’ve had.”

Adam Kantrovich

associate professor, agribusiness and extension economist, Clemson University

“We’re down from where we ought to be historically,” he said. “If the trade war hadn’t taken place, we would have hoped to continue to see growth. Unfortunately, it has created a barrier to the growth that we’ve had.”

According to data compiled from the U.S. Department of Agriculture by Kantrovich, South Carolina exported $74.1 million of agriculture products to China between January and July 2018; in the same amount of time in 2019, the Palmetto State exported $71.5 million of agriculture products.

The total agriculture exports to China for all states between January and July 2018 was $7.3 billion; over the same period of time in 2019, the exports totaled $6.6 billion.

Soybeans took the biggest hit. In 2017, before the trade war with China started, the U.S. exported 31.7 million metric tons of soybeans to China, according to data compiled by Kantrovich; in 2018, that quantity dropped to 8.2 million tons.

To mitigate effects of the trade disputes, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has been providing direct payments to assist impacted farmers through its Market Facilitation Program. To qualify, farmers of certain commodities must have an adjusted gross income for 2015, 2016 and 2017 of less than $900,000; derive at least 75% of their income from farming or ranching; and comply with certain conservation compliance provisions.

COTTON

FOREST PRODUCTS

Partner

World total 145,895 minus China China

SOYBEANS

60,614

World total 35,533 minus China China

1,555

World total 42,068 minus China China

1,917

World total 5,292 minus China China

5,257

2018 Value (in thousands of dollars)

128,449

38,554 99,759

6,528 46,018

0 9,212

8,935

Jan.-Aug. 2019 Value (in thousands of dollars)

99,931

74,525

35,767

10,454

73,014

67,956

3,821

3,079

41,315

13,549

0

0

6,931

3,172

6,745

3,006

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PEANUTS

2017 Value

(in thousands of dollars)

Jan.-Aug. 2018 Value (in thousands of dollars)

The USDA began distributing this year’s direct payments in August; the department has been authorized to provide up to $14.5 billion in payments.

At the end of October, the U.S. Department of Agriculture had paid farmers $6.46 billion; South Carolina farmers had received $27.83 million of that total. In the Palmetto State, $248,089 had been paid for livestock; $27.53 million had been paid for non-specialty crops such as corn, cotton, rice, peanuts and soybeans; and $58,929 had been paid for specialty crops such as cranberries, nuts, grapes and cherries.

The USDA also has up to $1.4 billion this year to purchase surplus commodities affected by trade disputes, which the department will distribute through food assistance programs.

This is the second year that the USDA has provided assistance to farmers.

“Farmers will not stand alone in facing unjustified retaliatory tariffs while President Trump continues working to solidify better and stronger trade deals around the globe,” U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue said in a statement. He added, “Our farmers work hard, are the most productive in the world, and we aim to match their enthusiasm and patriotism as we support them.”

Kantrovich said, though, that the trade war is not the only detriment that South Carolina farmers are facing.

“We’ve had some significant environmental issues and challenges here in South Carolina that has affected the bottom dollar of a lot of our producers, to a point that … many of them are having some significant financial difficulties, because

TRENDING: AGRICULTURE IN S.C.

South Carolina agriculture exports to China and the rest of the world

21

TRENDING: AGRICULTURE IN S.C.

everything has just added up,” he said. “It’s a huge issue for many of them.”

Over the last three to four years, Kantrovich said farmers have lost billions in the state because of hurricanes, unusually cold weather and floods. For example, he said, the South Carolina dairy industry has been shrinking for decades, but since January, the state has lost 3,000 cows out of 14,000.

“There’s a lot of reasons for that, but you know, our producers are in a pinch,” Kantrovich said.

Manufacturing and the economy

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Joey Von Nessen, research economist at the University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business, said the other big industry hurt by the U.S.-China trade war is manufacturing, which provides $2.82 billion of economic impact to South Carolina, according to the S.C. Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

“We saw a significant drop-off in the growth rate and exports in South Carolina,” Von Nessen said. “And we’ve also seen a change in employment patterns and em-

22

ployment growth among manufacturers.”

Von Nessen said beginning in mid2018, when China began implementing many of its retaliatory tariffs on the U.S., contingent labor in South Carolina saw a drop. Manufacturers frequently use contingent labor so they’re able to quickly adjust their workforce to meet demands.

Short-term effects, such as export quantities, prices and job growth, can quickly rebound when the trade war subsides, but Von Nessen said as the dispute approaches the two-year mark, it’s possible that it could have more permanent long-term effects, such as the offshoring of manufacturing facilities and jobs.

“The long-run effects are a bit different because that involves companies … considering moving some of their U.S. production or production in South Carolina overseas in order to avoid the uncertainty and these ongoing tariffs,” Von Nessen said. “And if that happens, those are more likely to be permanent effects, or semi-permanent effects, because once a company alters its production strategy and moves production overseas, they’re less likely to move it back

just because the U.S. makes a trade deal.”

Von Nessen said with no immediate resolution to the trade war on the horizon, he expects the trade uncertainty to continue into 2020.

Additionally, Von Nessen said he expects economic growth in the U.S. and South Carolina to be stable but beginning to soften next year.

“We anticipate slower growth going into 2020 as a result of multiple factors, but the biggest being we’ve seen slowing global demand and also the ongoing uncertainty with the tariffs,” he said. “If you look at South Carolina and the markets that we export to, two at the top of the list are China and Germany. So as we look ahead, how those two economies are performing is going to be critical for how we anticipate growth in South Carolina.”

Von Nessen said he doesn’t see a recession on the horizon, though it’s more likely now than it was a year ago.

“But right now, our expectations are for softer — for positive growth in 2020, but slower growth than what we’ve seen this year,” he said.

Farmers on both sides of the U.S.-China trade war are feeling the effects of higher prices as a result of government tariffs imposed on crops coming into and going out of their respective countries. (Photo/File)

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TRENDING: AGRICULTURE IN S.C.

Thousands of heads of lettuce can grow in one container at Vertical Roots, a hydroponic farm operation in Charleston. (Photo/Shamira McCray)

Vertical Roots takes fresh approach to traditional farming Hydroponic grower provides locally produced food to regional customers

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C 24

harleston-based Vertical Roots is producing crops in an untraditional way.

The company uses hydroponic methods to produce more than six million heads of lettuce per year between its farms in Charleston and Columbia.

At Vertical Roots, crop production is done in a controlled environment, inside of containers, or pods, that make up a suite. One farm suite is in Charleston. And there are four suites in Columbia.

Several factors make hydroponic farming different from traditional farming, according to Brian Wheat, Amplified Ag’s director of community engagement.

Amplified Ag is the holding company for Vertical Roots.

For one, no soil is used in hydroponic farming. Coconut husk is the growing

By Shamira McCray medium at Vertical Roots. Wheat said the company also uses significantly less water in their pods than soil farming uses.

“We use about 10 gallons (of water) a day in one of our pods, in total,” Wheat said. “That’s with 3,400 heads of lettuce.”

Wheat said in California or Arizona, where most greens come from, it could take between 12 and 27 gallons of water to grow a head of lettuce.

Farmers at Vertical Roots start seeds in the “propagation house” where they live for 14 days. After that time, the plants will be transplanted to the farm and live there for 21 days until they are harvested.

The crops get all their nutrients from a thin layer of water that is run on a closed-loop system. A tank of water is constantly being cycled through emitters, down channels and back into the tank.

Macro- and micro-nutrients are added to

the water.

A control system helps regulate the water and other aspects of the farm.

“There are probes running in the water. They’re saying what’s the electrical productivity, and how much nutrients is in there,” Wheat said. “And we, through our software, can set parameters for that.”

If a level falls outside of the appropriate range, power to the dosing system will be turned on, and it will automatically provide doses until it is back in range.

Vertical Roots farmers also receive alerts on their cell phones from the control system in cases such as when nutrient solutions are off. The farmers can change some of the farm’s environmental conditions from their cell phones.

Wheat said what is important to note is that at Vertical Roots, farmers grow crops in containers, while some hydro-

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ponic farms grow in warehouses. Using containers allows the farm to adapt quickly in the event of unforeseen issues.

“So, if we do have a food safety issue, or recall or something, we can actually locate the exact pod where that food product came from, shut it down, as opposed to shutting the whole farm down,” Wheat said. “That can be challenging when you’re in a warehouse situation.”

If the farm needs to be moved, the pods can be picked up and placed somewhere else.

“Also, containers being in the southeast near the ports are readily available,” Wheat said. “They’re sturdy. They’re durable. They’re long-lasting. They’re uniform in size.”

Six different varieties of lettuce are grown at Vertical Roots including red and green oak and gem lettuces.

Part of the reason Vertical Roots was founded was to help with the food supply, Wheat said. He said by the time some food products get to the East Coast, they are degraded.

“So this is much fresher and it’s locally

Several containers make up a farming suite at Vertical Roots. (Photo/Shamira McCray)

produced,” Wheat said. “People can count on where it’s coming from, how long it’s been in transit. And that’s a big differentiator for us.”

Wheat said Vertical Roots works with several distributors in the Southeast, but GrowFood Carolina and Limehouse

Produce have been integral to the growth of the business. People can buy the company’s lettuce in some retailers in the Southeast, including Publix, Harris Teeter, Whole Foods and Food Lion.

More than 100 restaurants in Charleston, Columbia and Charlotte use lettuce

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Coconut husk is the growing medium used at Vertical Roots in Charleston. (Photo/Shamira McCray)

from Vertical Roots, Wheat said.

Products that cannot be eaten are sometimes sent to hog farmers.

“If something can’t be sold and it is food safe, we divert it to the Lowcountry Food Bank or Harvest Hope Food Bank,” Wheat said. “So, someone is going to get to eat it. If it can’t be eaten, say it falls on the ground or its been sitting around too long, then we divert it to our hog farmers.”

Vertical Roots also works with Com-

postNow, a smart recycling and composting company. Products that cannot be given to hog farmers are hauled by CompostNow to West Ashley where it is composted.

“So, we have zero plant waste here,” Wheat said. “And that’s something we’re really proud of.”

Wheat said there is a misconception that hydroponic farming does not require hard work.

“But we have a team of 15 to 16 people here who work either part-time or full-

time, per each suite,” Wheat said. “And they work really hard. And there’s a lot of work still involved in this even though we eliminate some of the environmental conditions.”

Farmers at Vertical Roots start the seeds, transplant, harvest and clean the farms.

Wheat said they also work to keep the company’s food safety certification strong.

“So, our farmers do work very hard,” Wheat said. “It’s just a different kind of work and in a different environment.”

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TRENDING: AGRICULTURE IN S.C.

S.C. alpaca farmers bond, share knowledge

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ewberry County native Alicia Holbrook thought when she graduated from the University of South Carolina she would be wearing dresses and heels to work, not jeans and mud boots. But she turned a late-night idea into a family agribusiness.

Holbrook’s Newberry County farm, Carolina Pride Pastures, raises alpacas and llamas and sells products made from their wool. The farm is open to visitors for special events, and Holbrook plans to offer yurt camping early next year. Yurts, portable round tents used by nomadic tribes in Asia for centuries, have now become trendy for camping.

Holbrook got the idea to raise alpacas on the family land while watching a television program on the animals when she was awake late one night with her infant daughter.

Holbrook and her husband decided to give it a go.

By Renee Sexton

The South Carolina alpaca livestock community is quite small, and Holbrook got help from Karen and Juergen Kopp, who own OnAgain OffAgain Farm in Spartanburg.

“We’re very big into mentoring people whether they buy from us or not,” Karen Kopp said. “We love to share knowledge because it only helps improve everybody’s experience with the alpacas and with farm management.”

The Kopps breed alpacas for stock and provide related services such as shearing and trimming toenails. Because alpacas are relatively new to the United States, experts on them, including veterinarians, are rare. Kopp said although she has an animal sciences degree from Cornell University, they had to learn as they went along, “flying by the seat of our pants.”

“A lot of it is through trial and error through the years,” she said. “So when we started gaining some knowledge and started

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COMMITMENT. AGRICULTURE. COMMUNITY.

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selling our alpacas, we felt that the best thing that we could do for people was to get them started on the right foot and be there for them should they ever have questions.”

The Kopps started with nine alpacas in 2010, and 10 months later, they had 21. Now their herd is 52, including breeding stock and animals available for sale. Animals at Carolina Pride Pastures can trace their bloodlines to the Kopps’ herd.

“It’s extremely addicting,” Kopp said with a laugh.

She said one of their biggest challenges was finding a veterinarian. Because alpacas were introduced to the United States in the 1980s, vets who were educated before then did not learn about treating alpacas. Kopp said her vet is in Tennessee and there is one in Ohio who is willing to take phone calls from alpaca owners in the middle of the night.

“That’s the first thing we tell prospective owners when they come,” she said. “We say, ‘before you even do anything else, find yourself a vet. Make sure that vet will treat an alpaca when you need it because the worst thing you can do is have a sick animal and then try to find a vet and get turned away.’”

Kopp said interest in alpacas has been growing in South Carolina. Some people want them for agribusiness such as Holbrooks, some want them for yarn, and some just want them for a menagerie.

“There’s not a lot of large farms, established alpaca farms, but there’s a lot of people that have a couple of alpacas for either, we call them lawn ornaments, you know, pets,” she said. “Some people that are hand-spinners are raising them so that they have their own fleeces there to work with. It’s amazing how many people are out there. When we got into the alpacas we thought we were going to be the only alpaca people in the area and, boy, were we surprised.”

Holbrook said Kopp was instrumental in her farm’s success. Although their business models are different, they raise the same animals, so both Holbrook and Kopp continue to work closely. Juergen mentored the

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TRENDING: AGRICULTURE IN S.C. Alicia Holbrook’s daughter with a Carolina Pride Pastures alpaca (Photo/ Brandi Graham Photography)

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Holbrooks in teaching them to shear on their own this year.

“To be a successful farmer, you need a good mentor,” Holbrook said.

While the Carolina Alpaca Breeders and Owners Association consists of mostly North Carolina members, several members are in South Carolina. Several agritourism farms registered with the S.C. Department of Agriculture have alpacas or alpaca products.

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Kopp said she sees a lot of opportunities for agritoursm with alpacas for farms such as hers and Holbrook’s. She plans to expand her farm’s agritourism program when she retires from her other full-time job. For her husband, who grew up on a farm and also has a degree in agriculture from Cornell University, the farm is his retirement.

“This is what we call his ‘red sports car,’” she said. “When he retired, he just had a

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lot of free time on his hands and he didn’t know what to do with himself and he’d get up in the morning and he’d putz around a little bit, and he’d come in for lunch, and take a nap, and do a little bit more, and take another nap. And it was like, ‘no, I can’t do this.’”

After she got help from Kopp getting started, Holbrook has been expanding Carolina Pride Pastures with help from the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.

She participated in a program for business innovators offered through the Agribusiness Center for Research and Entrepreneurship and Clemson Extension Service, offered for the first time last year.

Holbrook said the agribusiness program helped her scrap her original business plan and refocus it by offering more farm events, field trip educational programs, and online product sales, which she said led to a dramatic increase in her business.

“If I had not gone through the program, I never would have seen the numbers on paper and realized there’s a better way to do things,” she said. “When we first started the business, field trips were not part of our

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plan. We quickly learned that agritourism could be a huge revenue stream.”

Holbrook partnered with another local farm, Lever Farms, on a field trip program.

The businesses hosted 50 students in their first year. Now more than 1,500 people visit the farm every year, including students, church and civic groups, and even clubs with members who work in fiber arts such as knitting or crocheting.

Carolina Pride Pastures also opened an on-site farm store, which is open most Saturdays in the fall and spring.

The four-session ACRE program includes advice in business planning and management, marketing, cost of production, profitability and financial statements.

Participants also can pitch their business plans to an agribusiness panel for the chance to win $5,000. Thanks to what she’s learned, Holbrook has extended her farm visit season by a month this fall.

Holbrook said with the help she received from the Kopps, it’s important to pay it forward to help other aspiring farmers.

“We have seen a tremendous interest in alpaca farming,” she said. “One of the main responsibilities of all farmers is to educate those who want to get into the business. We must give them knowledge of the animals and/or plants they want to manage. If, not the entire farming industry will suffer.”

What our grandparents started as a local small crop farm in the 1920’s helped lay the foundation for today’s fresh vegetable operation, specializing in leafy greens and other seasonal vegetables across the United States.

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TRENDING: AGRICULTURE IN S.C.

SC Tree Farm program seeks proper care of forest land

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T

rees are multitaskers. They offer shade. They offer habitats for woodland creatures.

And they are the source of wood for America.

Perhaps poet Joyce Kilmer said it best: “I think that I shall never see, a poem lovely as a tree.”

The value of trees was known in 1941 when the American Tree Farm System was developed. It started in the northwest United States amid concerns about timber supply and unpredictable wildfire and the need for educational tools on forest management for private and family landowners, according to Elizabeth Greener, director of communications for the American Forest Foundation.

“The program grew quickly with state programs popping up, particularly into the South where the forestland is mainly cared for by family owners,” she said. “Over time the program has evolved.”

The American Tree Farm System has

By Teresa Cutlip grown into an internationally recognized certification program that provides family and private forest owners with support and tools to ensure their forests deliver the clean water, wildlife habitat and sustainable wood supplies.

Greener said there are more than 74,000 certified tree farms covering 20.5 million acres of forest in the United States. In South Carolina there are 1,530 certified tree farms covering 639,000 acres.

The South Carolina Tree Farm Program supports sustainable management of familyowned forest lands for wood, water, wildlife and recreation. Membership is open to anyone interested in promoting good forestry, with or without property eligible for certification, according to the program website.

“Family forest owners care about their land and want to do right by it, but many of them face barriers to forest stewardship,” Greener said. The barriers include lack of guidance and expertise, as well as the lack of awareness of resource opportunities and funds to be able to

pay for it.

The tree farm system provides guidance with its standards of sustainability. It is a widespread network and community that helps landowners share information and experiences, and gives landowners a chance to connect with neighbors, professionals and programs that can help, Greene said.

“It’s been an invaluable program for nearly 80 years, and it continues to grow and be strong today,” she said.

In order to have your property certified by the American Tree Farm System and to join the program, you must own between 10 and 10,000 acres of forestland, have a forest management plan and meet the standards of sustainability set forth by the organization.

Those standards are available online at www. treefarmsystem.org/standards-review.

Greener said interested landowners also can reach out to the SC Tree Farm program at www.sctreefarm.org.

Pam Porter, of Porter Land and Timber and Forestry Association of South Carolina board member, said there are more trees growing today than 100 years ago and that 80% of the wood that is harvested for paper and sawmills is from private landowners.

Emily Oakman, director of landowner outreach, forestry education and programs for the Forestry Association of South Carolina, said one of the major issues for the tree farm program “is imparting our passion for forestry to the future generations.” This is where Project Learning Tree comes in. It is a national program providing a means for teachers to apply appealing forestry and sustainability topics to school-aged kids in every state.

“Over 20,000 educators in South Carolina alone have been trained to use this program, so that they can take it back to their schools and use it in their own classrooms,” Oakman wrote in the SC Tree Farm newsletter. “The push is now incorporating PLT-trained teachers and PLT lessons into tree farm tours to get children outside and learning about forestry in a different way.”

The S.C. Forestry Foundation created a transportation grant that lessens the cost of school travel to tree farms.

TRENDING: AGRICULTURE IN S.C.

Metrology lab puts the science into measurement

By Melinda Waldrop

T

he next time your plane makes it all the way to its destination without running out of jet fuel, you can probably thank Tim Jones.

As director of the Metrology Lab at the S.C. Department of Agriculture, Jones oversees the precise science of measuring things, like jet fuel, that require pinpoint accuracy.

“The word meter – you think of length, so

it’s the science of measurement,” said Derek Underwood, assistant commissioner in the agricultural department’s consumer protection division, where he oversees seven departments, including metrology.

The metrology lab moved into a new, 9,000-square-foot home at the S.C. State Farmers Market in February after three decades in decidedly more cramped quarters on Catawba Street. The nearly 9,000-square-foot

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lab almost tripled workspace while providing more amenities.

For instance, Jones and his staff now have a separate room where the weights they compare to the national standards maintained in Bethesda, Md., can acclimate to room temperature. There’s also an expansive bay adjacent to the large-mass lab where weights as heavy as 2,000 pounds can be unloaded and maneuvered by remote-control cart, as well as a mezzanine where thousand-gallon tanks full of “the purest water in the world,” according to Underwood, are checked for volume accuracy.

What the lab does not contain is a scale.

Those are found in doctors’ offices, Underwood said. The lab uses balances that are meticulously maintained and account for such details as the spinning of the earth.

In fact, nothing is technically weighed at the lab. Instead, things are compared.

“We have the state standards for both mass and volume,” Underwood said. “Any place in the state that sells something by weight or by volume, we have to check with our weights and measures guys. When (a company) sends us their weights, we would make sure that the weights themselves are completely accurate, and then we send the weights back to them. “ … We have customers like Boeing, we have customers like Firestone, we have phar-

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Some of the weights being checked for accuracy at the S.C. Metrology Lab. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

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Weights that small, after being processed in the shipping and receiving room, make their careful way to the small-mass and precision lab. Handled only with gloves on an isolated table that extends 10 feet below ground to absorb vibration, they are evaluated on balances costing between $20,000 and $70,000 each in a room with perforated ceiling tiles to prevent air flow by workers seated on $1,000, static-resistant stools.

The testing that takes place there is echelon I or II, said Jones, with a toleration for variance of no more than a thousandth of a milligram. Comparison of those delicate weights can take up to four to six hours apiece.

Larger weights, evaluated in the echelon III environment of the large-mass lab, still require precision, but not quite as much. The tolerance of a 50-pound weight, for example, is 2.3 grams, Jones said, and heavier weights can be tested in 25 minutes.

The metrology lab also measures moisture in crops such as soybean and corn, which can be stored for up to a year in a huge refrigerator in the back of the sprawling property.

When not actively doing his job, Jones spends a fair amount of time explaining it.

“It’s different,” he said. “A lot of people, when we explain to them what we do, they’re like, ‘That’s a little too complicated,’ or they think it’s meteorology.”

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CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS! ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: LARGE COMPANIES

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he Roaring Twenties recognizes the 40 fastest-growing companies in South Carolina: 20 small companies and 20 large companies. To qualify for Roaring Twenties consideration, companies had to be nominated by a third party or through self-nomination. Companies must have a physical presence in South Carolina and can be a for-profit entity or a nonprofit organization (except for government entities and charitable organizations, including 501(c)3 organizations. These are not eligible.) The nominated companies provided financial information to SC Biz News, which was sent to the accounting firm Cherry Bekaert for verification.

Company size was determined by gross revenue: small categorized as $10 million and under; large, more than $10 million. Small companies must have had revenues of at least $500,000 per year for 2016, 2017 and 2018. A formula was used that awarded points based on both dollar and percentage increases in revenue generated from years 20172018. This formula “levels the playing field� between smaller and larger companies within both the Small and Large categories. In cases where a tie occurred, the company with the highest percent growth was ranked first.

All 40 companies were honored at an event in Columbia on Sept. 26. The companies and their profiles are presented in this issue of SCBIZ. We hope you enjoy reading more about them.

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ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: LARGE COMPANIES

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1

Hire Dynamics

Number of local employees: 1,528 Top local executive: Kim Wallace Product or service: Commercial Staffing Year founded locally: 2012 Brief company bio: Hire Dynamics was built with the mission to be the No. 1 staffing company that you would refer to a friend. Specializing in contact centers, logistics, manufacturing operations and office support services, the company has achieved a net promoter score three times the industry average for talent and nine times the industry average for clients, putting them in the top 1% of staffing companies.

How do you build your team?

Many of our team members come from referrals from existing team members, which helps ensure we have people who will fit our culture. We invest in teamwork training and exercises with each branch team, including courses based on 5 Dysfunctions of a Team and DiSC profiling. We host a Women’s Forum in each state where we do business with guest speakers who help build perspective and promote the value of teamwork and community leadership. Additionally, we encourage the branches to engage in friendly competition as a team, such as Spirit Week and challenges like our lip synch contest at our annual employee meeting.

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ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: LARGE COMPANIES

2

Clear Touch

Number of local employees: 20 Top local executive: Keone Trask Product or service: Interactive panels, software and accessories for schools and organizations Year founded locally: 2012 Brief company bio: Clear Touch produces smart, interactive panels. Its displays allow for up to 20 simultaneous points of touch, immediate access to mobile apps, software, device mirroring, and wireless connectivity.

How do you build your team?

We are proactive when assessing our team. Our managers are empowered to pursue opportunities, strategic alliances and people they believe will best help Clear Touch grow. Word-of-mouth, online tools and job postings are strong recruiting tools. Internally, we give everyone space to pursue passions and projects.

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Nucor Steel Berkeley

3

Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corp.

Number of local employees: 1200 Top local executive: Lou Kennedy Product or service: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Year founded locally: 2015 Brief company bio: Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corp. develops and manufactures safe, affordable inhalation solution and suspension products for treating respiratory ailments. Nephron is a leader in manufacturing individually wrapped and bar-coded inhalation therapies, and the only manufacturer of Racemic Epinephrine, 2.25%, 0.5 ml.

If you were giving advice to business owners or managers, what would be the three most important tips you would include?

Every decision starts with the decision to try. Consider capital concerns, location and logistics, and workforce availability.

5

Sea Pro Boats LLC

Number of local employees: 950 Top local executive: Giff Daughtridge, VP/GM Product or service: Steel Coils and Beams Year founded locally: 1996

Number of local employees: 160 Top local executive: Jimmy Hancock Product or service: Sea Pro Boats Year founded locally: 2013

Brief company bio: North America’s most diversified steel and steel products company, Nucor employs 26,000 worldwide. Founded in 1905 as an automobile company, Nucor produces steel and related products by recycling scrap steel. It is the largest steel producer in the U.S. and the largest recycler of any kind in North America.

Brief company bio: The leader in mid-tier, center-console, saltwater fishing boats, Sea Pro has introduced the “Next Wave” models that can hit 50 mph and have holders for nearly a dozen fishing rods.

What is the main driver of this year’s revenue growth?

The easy answer is GDP, when the economy is growing, more steel is consumed. So it turns out what is good for America is good for Nucor. This would get even better with a national infrastructure plan.

If you were giving advice to business owners or managers, what would be the three most important tips you would include?

1) Make a realistic budget. 2) Review your employee base.

Unemployment rates are so low, finding employees will be a challenge. 3) Continuous improvements in your business are required to stay competitive.

JEAR Logistics LLC

Number of local employees: 132 Top local executive: Mark Neumeyer Product or service: Provide third-party transportation of products throughout the continental United States and Canada Year founded locally: 2007 Brief company bio: JEAR provides full and less-than truckload services (refrigerated, dry and flatbed) throughout the United States and Canada.

If you were giving advice to business owners or managers, what would be the three most important tips you would include?

First, get the right people and put them in the right positions.

Second, determine what you do very well better than your competitors, and stay in that circle as much as you can. Third, put all your energy into developing your people.

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Crescent Homes

Number of local employees: 76 Top local executive: Ted Terry Product or service: Residential Home Builder Year founded locally: 2009

ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: LARGE COMPANIES

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Brief company bio: Crescent Homes was founded in 2009 by Ted Terry, whose vision is to go beyond the standard, designing homes with features other builders view as upgrades and offering home buyers the flexibility to personalize their homes to their lifestyle.

What are the top attributes you seek when hiring employees?

Are you planning to increase head count in the coming year?

We are planning to increase head count in the coming year. When hiring new employees we seek those with high drive, ability to collaborate and communicate, initiative, problem-solving skills, ability to receive and take constructive criticism, strong work ethic.

Local business news updates... as they happen!

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KION North America

Number of local employees: 270 Top local executive: Vincent Halma, President and CEO Product or service: Material Handling Solutions Year founded locally: 1984 Brief company bio: Kion is one of the world’s two leading manufacturers of industrial trucks and the largest manufacturer of electric forklifts.

Our company has doubled in size over the last few years, and 80% of our staff has been with us for less than three years. We have to be more creative with the rapid changes in the world around us.

External factors like import tariffs, automation and digitization have forced us to be very flexible.

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How has your personal approach to leadership changed as your company has grown?

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ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: LARGE COMPANIES

9

Cantey Foundation Specialists

Number of local employees: 118 Top local executive: William Cantey Product or service: Foundation, Crawl Space and Concrete Repair Year founded locally: 2014 Brief company bio: Based in Camden, Cantey offers quality products, proven services and professional experience to permanently repair any foundation and crawl space problems.

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

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Private equity investors buying other dealers in our industry and expanding their working capital and constantly changing marketing trends are concerns in our industry. Staying ahead of quickly changing trends is a challenge we will face with continuous education, training and strategic analysis.

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10

Contec Inc.

Number of local employees: 500 employees and 75 contract Top local executive: Jack McBride - CEO Product or service: Cleaning and disinfecting supplies for high-tech manufacturing and other uses.

Year founded locally: 1988 Brief company bio: Contec is the leading manufacturer of contamination control products for critical cleaning and manufacturing environments worldwide. They also offer tools and resources to help customers keep their facilities compliant.

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

We see increased costs of products out of China/Asia allowing U.S. manufacturing to be more competitive. However, given the labor shortage we see in S.C., we are increasingly investing in automation to increase productivity with the same or fewer hourly associates.

Hannah Solar Government Services

Number of local employees: 40 Top local executive: Col (Ret.) Dave McNeil Product or service: Design, Engineer,Construct and Maintain Renewable Energy and Microgrid Systems Year founded locally: 2010 Brief company bio: Hannah is a full-service, certified design/build firm dedicated to providing the very best in engineering, products and installation of renewable energy and microgrid systems. How has your personal approach to leadership changed as your company has grown?

I developed my personal leadership approach in the Army. Starting my own company allowed me to take advantage of my 30 years experience to lead a very small team and grow into a larger team.

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National Land Realty

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CEMS Engineering Inc.

Number of local employees: 55 Top local executive: Stephen Mahaffey Product or service: Architecture and Engineering Design Year founded locally: 1989 Brief company bio: This Ladson-based engineering and design firm provides efficient multi-disciplinary solutions to facilities and infrastructure needs while enhancing the quality of life for clients, partners and associates. Although CEMS builds in a variety of sectors, the federal government has been a key driver of growth recently.

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

Rapid improvements and changes in technology can be difficult to keep up with. Having an open mind to new ways of doing things is the only mindset to have. If not, it is easy to get left behind.

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Job Impulse Inc.

Number of local employees: 295 Top local executive: Kyle Bevel Product or service: Skilled Recruitment/Employment Consulting Year founded locally: 2013

Brief company bio: National Land Realty offers farm, ranch, plantation, timber and recreational land for sale across the United States. Whether you are considering buying or selling an irrigated farm, cattle ranch, hunting tract, fishing pond, or you are seeking an investment property, the agents at National Land Realty can help you live your dream.

Brief company bio: Founded in Wiesbaden, Germany, just before the Great Recession, Job Impulse opened its U.S. office in Greenville in 2013. Currently, it maintains over 50 offices in 12 countries with more than 9,000 employees worldwide.

If you were giving advice to business owners or managers, what would be the three most important tips you would include?

1. The expert in anything was once a beginner 2. Don’t wait for an opportunity; create it!

3. Success is a daily decision

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Number of local employees: 28 Top local executive: Jason Walter Product or service: Land Brokerage Year founded locally: 2007

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

The industry will become further client-controlled. We are creating online platforms for land owners to control more of the sales process and we are adding lending and title services.

ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: LARGE COMPANIES

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ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: LARGE COMPANIES

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Orbis Sibro Inc.

Number of local employees: 135 Top local executive: Herb Dew Product or service: Staffing and Recruiting Year founded locally: 1999

Brief company bio: Orbis is a veteran-owned small business established in 2000. providing engineering, technical and consulting services to the Department of Defense and commercial clients. Employees include engineers, scientists, researchers and technicians, often with prior military service representing all branches of the Armed Forces.

Brief company bio: Greenville-based HTI is a versatile hiring partner. HTI has spent the past 20 years providing recruiting services for professional-level positions, as well as temporary placements for some of the best manufacturers in the Southeast.

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Human Technologies Inc.

Number of local employees: 50 Top local executive: CEO Guy Mossman Product or service: Engineering services Year founded locally: 2000

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

Changes ahead: The evolution in technology; e.g., artificial intelligence as an integral part of system design. Our reaction: Focus our hiring and training to improve our capability in this area.

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Quality Business Solutions Inc.

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

We constantly have to adapt to regulatory and marketplace changes.

I see a much more expanded acceptance and use of outsourced/ managed services within our customer base. Every business is looking for ways to save money, concentrate on core competencies and become more competitive.

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Atlantic Intermodal Services

Number of local employees: 47 Top local executive: David Evette Product or service: Payroll, Benefits and HR Services Year founded locally: 2000

Number of local employees: 65 Top local executive: Jeff Banton Product or service: Trucking/Drayage Year founded locally: 2006

Brief company bio: Founded in 2000, Quality Business Solutions Inc. is a 100 percent woman-owned business offering a comprehensive range of integrated PEO/ASO services, including payroll administration, unemployment management, insurance, benefit administration, human resources, workers’ compensation and tax reporting.

Brief company bio: Since 1991, Atlantic Intermodal Services has provided superior drayage for clients in key markets across the East Coast. AIS is committed to running a reliable, client-focused, sustainable organization.

How has your personal approach to leadership changed as your company has grown?

I would say the most apparent change is how much we’ve empowered and placed trust in our department heads/team leaders to lead their individual departments.

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

The shortage of good professional drivers will continue until the wages make driving a truck more attractive. AIS provided competitive pay with a driver friendly-working environment.

Knight’s Companies

Total number of local employees: 250 Top local executive: Pete Knight, President Product or service: Ready-mix concrete, precast concrete, septic services, trucking services Year founded locally: 1969 Brief company bio: In 1969, Bud Knight established Knight’s Septic Tank Inc. Over the years, he expanded the business and created Knight’s Companies, Knight’s Redi-Mix, Knight’s Precast and Knight’s Trucking.

What are the top attributes you seek when hiring employees?

Are you planning to increase head count in the coming year?

We seek internal motivation, work ethic and a willingness to learn and grow. We plan to increase head count through acquisitions, new plant construction, and in existing business units.

WHEN IT COMES TO MARINE DRAYAGE

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Sage Services Group

Number of local employees: 25 Top local executive: Joe Harper Product or service: Medical Equipment Sales and Service Year founded locally: 2006

ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: LARGE COMPANIES

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Brief company bio: Sage Services Group was founded in 2006 and began as a regional patient monitoring sales and service company in the Charleston area. Today the company is national. Its four pillars of business include Depot Repair, Replacement Parts, Refurbished Equipment and Patient Cables.

If you were giving advice to business owners or managers, what would be the three most important tips you would include?

1. Lean on your team. 2. Stay humble. 3. Keep perspective. Try to see the bigger picture instead of becoming lost in the short-term details.

For more than 37 years, Atlantic Intermodal Services has provided container drayage throughout the East Coast. As part of IMC Companies, the largest marine drayage provider in the United States, AIS is uniquely equipped to scale logistics solutions to your needs. So if you are ready for a partner that will put you first, visit us at AtlanticIntermodal.com. www.scbizmag.com

WE HAVE NO EQUAL

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ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: SMALL COMPANIES

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Quantum Coatings

Number of local employees: 11 Top local executive: Scott McCormack Product or service: Commercial Painting Contractor Year founded locally: 2014 Brief company bio: A Mount Pleasant-based commercial coatings contractor, Quantum Coatings works with general contractors and property managers on large-scale, high-end construction and repaint projects throughout the Southeast.

The company specializes in the educational, hospitality, medical, industrial and office/retail sectors.

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

The construction market in the Charleston area is maturing and with the increase in size and complexity of our region’s projects, those trades that provide services for this market also have to adapt to the additional requirements and manpower necessary to complete such projects.

www.scbizmag.com

If you were giving advice to business owners or managers, what would be the three most important tips you would include?

It’s the basics — do what you say you are going to do when you say you are going to do it, so your customers know they can count on you when the game is on the line. And don’t rely on technology for your customer interaction. Phone calls, face-to-face meetings and hand submitting deliverables keep that personal contact and keep you relevant rather than being a number on a spreadsheet.

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What is responsible for your company’s success?

Our success is 100% due to our team members and their hard work, enjoyment for what they do and love of this community that we all feel fortunate to be a part of.

CopeGrand Homes

Number of local employees: 6 Top local executive: Adam Copenhaver and Ben Copenhaver Product or service: Custom Home Building and Renovations Year founded locally: 2016 Brief company bio: Adam and Ben Copenhaver, founders of CopeGrand Homes, have collectively pursued mastery of real estate and construction for a combined 24 years. They also established mastery in other areas of construction, including energy efficient design, healthier home innovation, and building science technology.

What are the top attributes you seek when hiring employees?

Are you planning to increase head count in the coming year?

The top attributes CopeGrand seeks when hiring employees is the hunger and desire to grow, lead and become a better person than the day before.

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3

Dunhill Staffing Systems LLC

Number of local employees: 7 Top local executive: Neil G. Whitman Product or service: Recruiting, Contract / Temp Staffing, Recruitment Process Oursourcing Year founded locally: 2001

ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: SMALL COMPANIES

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Brief company bio: Serving a nationwide client base of engineering, manufacturing, insurance and digital office equipment companies, Dunhill is Charleston’s only locally owned contract agency that provides staffing support to the area’s largest aerospace employer.

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

The continued expansion of social media as a recruiting tool continues. Job seekers will often “check out” a company before submitting their resume. This makes a robust SEO, Social Media and Reputation Management strategy very important.

Intellectual Capitol

Number of local employees: 60 Top local executive: Traci Newkirk Product or service: Software, Staffing and Consulting Year founded locally: 2003

How do you build your team?

We seek to hire top talent by using 15 core questions. Once a great team member is found, we invest greatly in their growth.

Celebrate with a reprint!

Choose between a hard copy reprint or an e-print (electronic pdf).

For more information, contact Lisa Arnold at (717) 323-5213 or LArnold@BridgeTowerMedia.com

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Brief company bio: Founded in 2003, Intellectual Capitol quickly became one of South Carolina’s most trusted suppliers of technology solutions for companies that were seeking to augment their staff with qualified IT talent. A woman-owned business with a diverse team, ICAP’s staff even includes several expert axe throwers. Clients hire ICAP for state-of-the-art software development so they can serve their own customers better.

CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS!

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ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: SMALL COMPANIES

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6

Cantey Tech Consulting

Perceptive Recruiting

Number of local employees: 55 Top local executive: Willis Cantey Product or service: IT Consulting, Strategy and Support Year founded locally: 2007

Number of local employees: 6 Top local executive: Jill Rose, President Product or service: Staffing and Recruiting Services Year founded locally: 2014

Brief company bio: Cantey Tech Consulting tailors information technology solutions that are right for organizations of all sizes, from a Charleston-based small business to a publicly trade global corporation. With a 97% customer satisfaction rate, Cantey takes the time to understand clients’ business goals and objectives, then develop a technology plan and budget that gets them there.

Brief company bio: Perceptive Recruiting, a Certified Woman Owned Business, is an IT-focused staffing and recruiting services firm. President Jill Rose has been meeting client needs since 1998.

Her company understands clients’ needs are unique and tailors their solutions to individual clients.

How has your personal approach to leadership changed as your company has grown?

Hire people better than you and know when it’s time to get out of their way.

Thank you SC for your business!

If you were giving advice to business owners or managers, what would be the three most important tips you would include?

Find people you trust to take over your administrative tasks. Try something one time; if it doesn’t work, move on. Be open to new technology and processes.

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Gotcha

Number of local employees: 60 Top local executive: Sean Flood, CEO and Founder Product or service: Shared E-Mobility Year founded locally: 2009

www.scbizmag.com

THE LEADER IN RESPONSIVE IT SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING

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WINNER OF THE

Contact us: 843.278.1827 www.CanteyTech.com

7-TIME WINNER

Brief company bio: Gotcha empowers people to lead better lives through sustainable shared mobility. Gotcha is the first to offer electric bike rentals, electric scooter rentals and ride sharing all in the same convenient, easy to use app available in cities and on university campuses in 28 states.

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

Cities and universities are looking to micro-transit as a transportation solution for parking and traffic congestion. At Gotcha, we offer choice and convenience with four e-mobility options all under one app — e-bikes, e-scooters, e-trikes and e-rides.

Stokes & Co., CPAs, PC

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Ceterus

Number of local employees: 24 Top local executive: Stephen C. Stokes Product or service: Accounting Firm Year founded locally: 1999

Number of local employees: 93 Top local executive: Levi Morehouse Product or service: Accounting and Benchmarked Reporting Year founded locally: 2008

Brief company bio: Greenville-based Stokes & Co. takes care of accounting, payroll, taxes and more by serving alongside customers’ teams year-round. They help clients navigate the world of finance, teaching them which questions to ask, and even suggesting ways to improve profitability in day-to-day operations. By keeping customers updated monthly, rather than annually, they can identify problems and help solve them before they become huge liabilities.

Brief company bio: Ceterus pairs technology with people to deliver a done-for-you accounting solution with benchmarked reporting.

Their tools allow franchisee customers to see side-by-side financials for all franchise locations and benchmarks data against peers in the same franchise.

How has your personal approach to leadership changed as your company has grown?

I have realized the importance of genuinely being interested in the goals and success of our team members.

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exaqueo LLC

Number of local employees: 3 Top local executive: CEO Susan Strayer LaMotte Product or service: Employer Brand Consulting Year founded locally: 2016

What is the main driver of this year’s revenue growth?

Word of mouth. We work in a niche business where we’re known for our expertise and exceptional service. The marquee brands we work with (e.g., T-Mobile, Audi of America, CVS Health, Dunkin’ Brands) are getting out. 100% of our business is inbound leads or referrals.

We do no advertising for ourselves.

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

More business owners are realizing the importance of understanding their financials in real time to know how their business is performing. Increased automation means accounting will be faster, more accurate and higher quality.

SCBIZ magazine is the resource South Carolina businesses need for statewide business news and information.

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Brief company bio: A team of 10 female, 100% remote workers founded in 2011, exaqueo (Latin for “on equal footing”) is an employer brand experience firm on a mission to transform how organizations find and keep talent who will thrive in an organization through employer branding.

ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: SMALL COMPANIES

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ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: SMALL COMPANIES

Young Clement Rivers, LLP congratulates PETER H. LORRIS and MERIDIAN METALS MANAGEMENT, LLC

for being selected one of the 2019 Roaring Twenties Fastest Growing Companies in South Carolina

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Meridian Metal Management

Number of local employees: 15 Top local executive: Peter H. Lorris Product or service: Recycling Year founded locally: 2012 Brief company bio: Meridian maximizes aerospace components.

An international aerospace recycling facility in North Charleston, Meridian offers everything from rhenium-base, single-crystal alloys to precious metals recovery of airfoil coatings.

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

25 Calhoun Street, Suite 400 • Charleston, SC 29401 P.O. Box 993 • Charleston, SC 29402 Phone: 843-577-4000 • Fax: 843-724-6600

The volatility of the commodities market is aggressively changing on a daily basis. This is largely due to the trade war with China.

Therefore, we are continuously searching for other markets both domestic and international.

www.ycrlaw.com

www.scbizmag.com

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Secondary Solutions Inc.

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Carolina Underground Solutions LLC

Number of local employees: 105 Top local executive: Tina Stevens Product or service: Manufacturing Services Year founded locally: 1997

Number of local employees: 31 Top local executive: Braddock Cunningham Product or service: Fiber Optic Installation Year founded locally: 2015

Brief company bio: Secondary Solutions makes other people’s products better. From Fortune 500 companies to independent manufacturers, we are an integral part of the production process — correcting malfunctions and mislabeling, salvaging the dented and damaged as well as putting things together the right way to ensure your customer gets the product they were promised.

Brief company bio: Carolina Underground Solutions has extensive experience offering trenchless technology, vacuum excavating, missile boring and handhole placement for directional drilling, whether it is for natural gas, utility, crude/product, telecom or any other pipeline project.

Fun fact: Our entire management team is made up of women.

We are highly diversified by nationalities. We are a generational business. The owner’s daughter, who is a registered nurse, joined the team two years ago and will take over the company in the future.

Fun fact: Braddock Cunningham was the 2004 South Carolina State Jiu Jitsu Heavyweight Champion and a veteran of the Marine Corps.

One member of senior management has worked with him at three previous companies and over half of the management team has worked with the CEO in at least two different companies.

Source Ortho

Number of local employees: 12 Top local executive: Elizabeth Gush Product or service: Medical Supplies Year founded locally: 2012 Brief company bio: Established in 2012, Source Ortho supplies the ever-growing need for medical supplies and equipment in the U.S. Source Ortho is an innovative distributor of a wide range of medical equipment and supplies from professional products to consumer products.

What is the main driver of this year’s revenue growth?

Our main driver of revenue growth in 2018 was new products. We added one product that sold over $1 million in revenue. There were other products added as well that propelled our growth.

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Docugraphics LLC

Number of local employees: 35 Top local executive: Thomas Fimian Product or service: Authorized Xerox agency and dealership; industry-leading office productivity solutions.

Year founded locally: 2002

ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: SMALL COMPANIES

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Brief company bio: It was a childhood dream for Thomas Fimian to build his own business, to oversee the success of his customers’ experiences. After emigrating from Switzerland to the U.S. in 1996, he learned about office technology as a Xerox consultant and brought those lessons to Charleston to build the business.

How do you build your team?

The environment I provide to my team is one built around strategy.

This provides the framework, the vision and the direction for our business and leaves room for our team to make their own decisions on how to achieve their goals.

SCBIZ Daily provides the inside scoop on South Carolina’s business community!

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The Cassina Group

Number of local employees: 39 Top local executives: Owen Tyler, Robertson Allen and Jimmy Dye Product or service: Real Estate Year founded locally: 2006 Brief company bio: The Cassina Group’s innovative approach to home buying and selling puts the power in customers’ hands through email notifications, a member account they manage, customized web pages, professional photography and more.

Sign up today for the SCBIZ Daily email newsletter at www.scbiznews.com Get your message in front of South Carolina’s top CEOs, executives, business owners and decision-makers every afternoon.

For advertising information, contact Steve Fields at (843) 849-3110 or sfields@scbiznews.com

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What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

The prevalence of the internet and smart phones have been gamechangers in real estate. Nearly 100% of consumers start their real estate search online, many on a smart phone or tablet. Having a mobile-friendly website is critically important in our industry and we are always striving to update and improve our website.

SCBIZ DAILY

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ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: SMALL COMPANIES

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South Risk Management

Total number of local employees: 19 Top local executives: Patrick McKain, David Wells, W.D. Morris, Tripp Hafner Product or service: Insurance Year founded locally: 2012 Company bio: SRM specializes in commercial property and casualty, surety, employee benefits and personal insurance.

How do you build your team?

We build largely by positive word of mouth. Many on our staff have come to us solely because of positive referrals.

Tandem Payment

Number of local employees: 13 Top local executive: Larry Feniger Product or service: Merchant Card Processing Year founded locally: 2009 Brief company bio: A credit card processing company, Tandem Payments is backed by a team of Certified Payment Professionals to handle the payment processing needs of merchants ranging from the small corner store to the large retailer and everything in between.

If you were giving advice to business owners or managers, what would be the three most important tips you would include?

1. Hire people smarter/better then you 2. Develop a plan with your team and coach to that plan weekly. 3. Know your numbers.

What do you mean business interruption Insurance?

www.scbizmag.com

I thought we had cyber security coverage?

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When it comes to business insurance, we see the big picture. We advise you on your risks and provide tailored coverage to protect your bottom line.

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Fathom 4 LLC

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Broad Insights

Number of local employees: 48 Top local executive: Brian Burger and Glenn Chave Product or service: Engineering Services for Dept. of Defense Year founded locally: 2012

Number of local employees: 12 Top local executive: Jim Wiginton, President Product or service: Consulting Year founded locally: 2012

Brief company bio: Fathom 4 serves DoD clients by providing high value engineering and IT services. A veteran-owned small business, with a workforce that is nearly half veterans, Fathom 4 believes in working hard to support those who defend the country.

Brief company bio: Broad Insights is a cadre of professional coaches and subject matter experts who are passionate about making businesses better. All coaches have on-the-ground experience, extensive training and a healthy dose of common sense.

Most are former executives, entrepreneurs or both. The company also partners with a handful of subject matter experts who consult on specific issues like sales, marketing, HR and more.

What changes do you see ahead in your industry and how are you reacting to them?

The threats to our nation’s security are shifting to more near-peer adversaries as opposed to the terrorist threat of the last 20 years.

The skill sets required will need to adapt to new defensive and offensive cybersecurity and information assurance tactics.

ROARING TWENTIES WINNERS: SMALL COMPANIES

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What are the top attributes you seek when hiring employees?

Are you planning to increase head count in the coming year?

Engaged, experienced, empathic, results-focused. Absolutely!

CONGRATULATIONS WINNERS! Celebrate with a reprint!

Choose between a hard copy reprint or an e-print (electronic pdf).

For more information, contact Lisa Arnold at (717) 323-5213 or LArnold@BridgeTowerMedia.com www.scbizmag.com

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S.C. DELIVERS

Ports, Logistics & Distribution

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S N The new 155-foot cranes, made by Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., arrived in Charleston in October. The S.C. Ports Authority now has eight cranes at that height and will eventually have a total of 15. (Photo/Patrick Hoff)

PORT OF CHARLESTON RECEIVES SHIPMENT OF 3 NEW CRANES

By Patrick Hoff

www.scbizmag.com

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hree new, 155-foot cranes arrived with the sunrise at the S.C. Ports Authority’s Columbus Street Terminal in Charleston on Oct. 17.

The new cranes, made by China-based Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries Co. Ltd., were eventually bound for the Wando Terminal in Mount Pleasant. After passing under the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge to the Wando Terminal, the cranes were all offloaded a few days later and will be erected one at a time, with the first slated to be operational in January. All three new cranes should be operational

by May. The ports authority previously had four new, 155-foot cranes and four existing cranes that it raised to that height. The first shipment of the taller cranes came in August 2016, and the most recent shipment arrived in March 2018.

Ed Stehmeyer, project manager at the ports authority, said the ports authority will eventually

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S.C. DELIVERS

The new 155foot cranes will be installed at the Wando Terminal in Mount Pleasant. All three cranes are scheduled to be operational by May 2020. (Photo/ Patrick Hoff)

We fuel South Carolina industry by: ¥ Developing innovative products and technology that advance manufacturing ¥ Specializing in composite materials, additive manufacturing, predictive maintenance, robotics, autonomy and drones, combustion and fuels

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¥ Educating the future manufacturing workforce with 21st century curricula and labs

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cec.sc.edu

have 15 155-foot ship-to-shore cranes.

Stehmeyer said the larger locks in the Panama Canal mean ships carrying up to about 14,000 TEUs, an industry measurement equivalent to a 20-foot container, can pass through.

“For trade that’s coming through the Panama Canal, we need to be able to service those ships whenever they come to the East Coast,” Stehmeyer said. “And these cranes ... could pick up something 155 feet up, and it can also pick up something below the deck. We need to be able to handle something that high to be able to handle the ships because they’re just getting bigger.”

Several members of the S.C. Ports Authority took trips to China to design and oversee production of the cranes.

The authority also sent several crane operators to China for training. From design to commissioning, production of the cranes took about 18 months; after that, the journey between China and Charleston Harbor took approximately 60 days.

Each crane costs between $10.5 million and $12 million, depending on the accessories the port decides to include in its order, putting today’s shipment at over $30 million worth of equipment.

The next shipment of four cranes, destined for the new Hugh K. Leatherman Sr. Terminal in North Charleston, are expected to arrive in May, followed by another shipment of four cranes arriving in July for the Wando and Leatherman terminals.

The cranes at the Leatherman Terminal will be the S.C. Ports Authority’s tallest cranes, standing at 169 feet.

Staff Report

Logistics

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“Spartanburg County proudly works with our private partners to be better prepared for industrial prospects,” Kyle Sox, director of business development, Spartanburg Economic Futures Group, said in the release. “VanTrust’s investment in Spartanburg is not only an

affirmation of Spartanburg’s industrial market, but also an important step in being ready for the next ‘big thing’ to come to our region. It’s a great location with superb utility and logistics infrastructure at the site in Moore.”

www.scbizmag.com

anTrust Real Estate, headquartered in Kansas City, Mo., has expanded into South Carolina with the purchase of two parcels of industrial land in the Upstate, according to a news release.

The first site is located on 73 acres in Anderson County, where the firm plans a speculative 289,173-square-foot industrial building along Interstate 85. The development, The Exchange Logistics Park at I-85, will total more than 1 million square feet of warehouse, distribution and industrial buildings, the release said. Givens Stewart, of Wilson Kibler Inc., will be the listing agent for the spec building. Harper Construction is the contractor.

“We chose the Greenville-Spartanburg area for our first project in South Carolina because of the strong growth the region has achieved in recent years, as well as its strategic location,” Andrew Weeks, executive vice president of VanTrust, said in the release. “We found the area extremely business-friendly, and very open to real estate development. We look forward to a continued relationship and the opportunity to develop additional properties in the area.”

Anderson County Councilman Jimmy Davis said the development “will bring much-needed industrial space to the Piedmont area, and I welcome the opportunity to work with such an exceptional developer.”

The second land parcel includes 57 acres in Spartanburg County, where VanTrust plans to develop a new industrial park at the intersection of Highway 290 and Highway 221, less than one mile from I-26, with direct access to I-85, the release said. The site can accommodate users from 50,000 square feet up to 1 million square feet. The site is fully serviced and entitled and ready for projects that require speed to market. Listing agent is Trey Pennington with CBRE.

S.C. DELIVERS

VanTrust plans Upstate industrial developments

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S.C. DELIVERS

Aerospace

Boeing to reduce 787 production rate, ousts CEO of Commercial Airplanes

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By Patrick Hoff

oeing Co. plans to cut the production rate of 787 airplanes to 12 per month beginning in late 2020, a reduction that company leadership attributed to the current trade environment between the U.S. and China.

Dennis Muilenburg, president and CEO of Boeing, said in the company’s quarterly earnings call that the company was projecting orders from Chinese operators and other markets but that a lack of orders from China over the past few years has put pressure on the company’s wide-body production rate, especially that of the 787.

The reduction is expected to last approximately two years.

“It’s obviously not a decision we take lightly. ... In the near term, our skyline has been dependent on orders from China,” Muilenburg said. “And now that we’re in lead time on our production system and those orders from China have not materialized, we need to make a decision.”

Boeing currently produces 14 787s per month between its Everett, Wash., and North Charleston facilities. Production of the 787-8 and 787-9 is split between the two sites and the 787-10 is produced entirely in North Charleston.

According to Boeing, the company currently has 556 unfilled orders for the 787, including 61 orders for the dash-8, 337 orders for the dash-9 and 158 orders for the dash-10.

Muilenburg said at the planned 12-plane rate, this backlog ensures more than 31/2 years of production.

“We think the decision to take the rate down to 12 for approximately ... two years is a good, disciplined decision and fits with the market signals we’re seeing,” he said.

Boeing spokeswoman Libba Holland said in an email that the rate reduction will affect production in both Everett and North

Charleston, “albeit minimally.”

“While we don’t breakdown production rates by site, we will adjust the overall program production rate in a way that best meets the needs of the program, our customers and our workforce,” Osborne said.

Muilenburg said Boeing is still confident in the long-term viability of the wide-body market, with a market of roughly 1,000 new small to midsize wide-body planes over the next decade.

He added that the company is continuing to monitor trade policy discussions between the United States and China.

“We remain hopeful that airplanes will ultimately be part of the trade solution,” Muilenburg said.

McAllister out

Boeing has named Stan Deal as the new head of its commercial airplanes division, replacing President and CEO Kevin McAllister, who was removed Oct. 21.

Muilenburg said the move was made to align with Boeing’s “leadership plans, our plans to have a strong and growing company for the future.”

“Our focus is on safety and quality and performance and delivering operational excellence,” he said.

Deal joined Boeing in 1986 and served as president and CEO of Boeing Global Services until his transition to commercial airplanes.

He had led the global services division since its establishment in 2016.

Prior to that, Deal held several positions in the commercial airplanes division, including running its supply chain and serving as sales leader for the Asia-Pacific region.

“Stan brings extensive operational experience at Commercial Airplanes and trusted relationships with our airline customers and industry partners,” Muilenburg said.

Air Premia orders 5 Boeing 787 Dreamliners Staff Report

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orean startup airline Air Premia has ordered five 787-9 Dreamliner airplanes from Boeing Co., a commitment valued at $1.4 billion at list prices.

Air Premia, which plans to launch operations by September 2020, also agreed earlier this year to lease three dash-9s from Air Lease Corp. The airline will be South Korea’s second Dreamliner operator.

“This is an exciting decision for Air Premia as we look to deliver a world-class experience to our customers while also operating the most fuel-efficient fleet,” Air Premia CEO Peter Sim said in a news release. “With the 787-9’s superior fuel efficiency and range capabilities, this investment ... will position Air Premia for sustainable long-term growth.”

The 787-9 can fly 296 passengers in a standard configuration, with a range of 7,530 nautical miles.

Production of the dash-9 is split between North Charleston and Everett, Wash.

“We are honored to welcome Air Premia as Boeing’s newest customer,” Ihssane Mounir, Boeing’s senior vice president of commercial sales and marketing, said in the release. “As new entrants in Asia continue to launch innovative business models and strategies for growth, we are excited that Air Premia have selected the 787-9 Dreamliner to power their future fleet.”

Air Premia will be based at Incheon International Airport in Seoul and initially operate regionally in Asia, with plans to expand to Los Angeles and San Jose, Calif., by 2021.

8100 Palmetto Commerce Pkwy North Charleston, SC 29405 terminal: 843-767-8693 | fax: 843-767-8893 www.cowboyusallc.com

S.C. DELIVERS

Automotive

By Patrick Hoff

IFA Group expanding Berkeley County facility in move to consolidate Lowcountry operations

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erman automotive supplier IFA Group is more than doubling its facility at the Charleston Trade Center in Berkeley County to allow the company to consolidate its S.C. operations into one location.

IFA Group, headquartered in Haldensleben, Germany, manufactures driveshafts for passenger cars and light commercial vehicles; customers include BMW and Mercedes, among other major automakers.

The facility to be doubled is a 211,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution facility IFA Group opened in March 2018 at 553 Trade Center Parkway in Summerville; the company will close a second facility in Ladson when the Berkeley County expansion is complete.

The Keith Corp., owner and developer of the Charleston Trade Center, has partnered with Frampton Construction to complete the expansion, which will bring the facility to 487,000 square feet.

The new space will be constructed using tilt-up concrete panels and structural steel, according to a news release, with ceilings providing a 32-foot clearance height.

The expanded area will also include over 30,000 square feet of Class A office space for the relocation of IFA’s administrative and executive staff.

Construction is underway and is expected to be complete by June.

“IFA’s expansion within Charleston Trade Center adds further growth to the park’s robust year,” Alan Lewis, managing partner of The Keith Corp.’s industrial

division, said in the release. “We’re excited to help IFA consolidate their operations and look forward to watching them continue to grow.”

IFA Group is expanding its facility at the Charleston Trade Center in Summerville to 487,000 square feet to accommodate the consolidation of its Ladson facility into the Berkeley County location.

(Photo/Frampton Construction)

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By Ross Norton

Logistics

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sports stadium theme, employing concrete, fake locker room doors in the fitting rooms and the kind of fencing often found around athletic fields.

What appears to be a locker room entrance actually leads shoppers from the 12,000-square-foot Adidas side of the building to 6,000 square feet of Reebok space.

Adidas has opened a retail store in Greenville for employees of its Adidas/Reebok distribution center in Spartanburg. Access to the public will be available on a limited basis. (Photo/Provided)

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or about 2,000 employees of Adidas and Reebok, one of the company perks just got a little better.

Adidas, which owns Reebok, opened a store in October that is almost exclusively for employees of the company’s 2.4 million-square-foot distribution center in Spartanburg and its area retail stores. It’s “almost exclusively” for them because employees will receive passes to give friends and family. Adidas also will issue a limited number of passes to area groups and organizations.

Brian Kriesel, vice president of store operations for Adidas, said it’s called an “employee store” in conversation but is perhaps more accurately described as a limited access store. In Portland, Ore., where Adidas and a lot of other major retailers are based, the model is quite common, he said.

Even though most of their employees are based in Spartanburg County, the employee store opened this month at 10 Quest Lane in Greenville on a hill overlooking I-85 near the Whitehorse Road exit.

“The primary purpose of the store is to support employees that work in Spartanburg, but looking at the overall population, getting a little closer to Greenville seemed to make sense,” he said. “We will invite community members here as well so we will reach out to different organizations and share this store, so this made sense in terms of different locations.”

The company has about 1,600 employees at the distribution center. The facility has been operating for 20 years and ships 400,000 units of product on peak days, filling orders for wholesale, retail and e-commerce, according to the company.

Adidas also has 120 employees at retail stores in the Upstate and about 300 more spread across the Carolinas.

The store is for those employees, Kriesel said, but the location also needed to be convenient for the public, and the company made sure to create something with retail appeal. It’s designed with a

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