Columbia Regional Business Report - April 2023

Manufacturing medicine for a healthy statewide economy

Pharmaceuticals and medicine top the list of manufacturing sectors with the most job openings in South Carolina, data from the National Association of Manufacturers in Washington, D.C., show.

The latest data from the trade group shows that South Carolina’s manufacturers have the highest demand for talent in medicine, motor vehicle parts, aerospace, wood products and medical equipment.

The latest data from 2021 show that medicine and medical equipment make up nearly 19% of the in-demand jobs for the manufacturing sector across the Palmetto State. Motor vehicle parts and manufacturing combined for nearly 10.8% of jobs.

While job demand appears higher in medicine and medical equipment, NAM data showed that motor vehicles and parts manufacturing was the largest manufacturing sector in the state in terms of actual dollars. Of the nearly $39.3 billion generated by manufacturing in 2021, more than $5.3 billion came from the automotive sector.

That number shouldn’t come as a surprise with BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Cummins, Michelin and Bosch all operating significant manufacturing facilities in South Carolina, along with many suppliers that support their operations and others manufacturers in the U.S. and internationally.

Manufacturing exploded during the year after 2020, which saw downturns in many sectors from the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2020, manufacturing revenue was down to numbers recorded in 2018, but by the next year manufacturing had bounced back by more than 11% in 2021, with a nearly $4 billion year-over-year increase.

By Andy Owens

In-demand jobs in SC manufacturing

Pharmaceutical, medicine and medical equipment combined for nearly 19% of the open jobs in South Carolina manufacturing for 2021. Data from a national manufacturing trade association showed the percentage for the top manufacturing job sectors across the state.

Pharmaceutical and Medicine: 13%

Motor Vehicle Parts: 7%

Aerospace Products/Parts: 6%

Wood Products: 5.6%

Medical Equipment: 5.4%

General Machinery: 4.6%

Electronic Components: 4.1%

Iron and Steel: 3.9%

Instrumentation: 3.9%

Auto Manufacturing: 3.9%

Source: National Association of Manufacturers

“Maynard Nexsen’s client-centered culture and bold entrepreneurial spirit are the driving forces behind our combined vision for growth.”

— Leighton Lord, president and chief strategy o icer Maynard Nexsen

SC Biz News Briefs

Target

MAY 15

HEALTH CARE/LIFE SCIENCES

List: Hospitals, Life Science Companies

Advertising Deadline: May 1

Plans for entertainment hub unveiled for downtown Greenville Gateway District

AMiami-based developer unveiled plans for a mixed-use development on the former Greenville Memorial Auditorium site, which has been abandoned for decades. The site, which has been empty since the auditorium was imploded in 1997, sits at the intersection of downtown Greenville and the Gateway District, and is part of the city’s Cultural Corridor.

NR Investments seeks to revitalize Greenville’s Gateway District and create a new entertainment hub, according to a NR Investments news release.

NR stated the project would become a stepping stone toward PlusUrbia Design’s “Community Vision Plan,” the urban planner’s master plan for the Interstate 385 corridor and adjacent areas, which gave its final proposal to the Greenville Design Review Board in October.

NR closed on the land on March 9 but has been working on plans with Greenville-based Johnston Design Group for more than a year, the release said. The development is planned to go before the city’s design review board on April 6.

CHARLESTON

Charleston Southern University president tapped to take the lead Liberty University

In a letter to the Charleston Southern community Dondi Costin announced that he has been called to a new assignment and will serve as CSU president through June 30, according to a news release from the school.

Costin has been named the next president of Liberty University, his alma mater.

“Without exception, Vickey and I love absolutely everything about CSU,” said Costin in the release. “Accepting God’s call to a new assignment has been one of the hardest decisions we have ever had to make, but we committed decades ago to move wherever the Lord sent us. As difficult as it will be to leave the greatest trustees, senior leaders, faculty, staff, students and supporters on the planet, we know that God has issued a new set of orders, and we have no choice but to follow his lead.”

The CSU board of trustees has retained CarterBaldwin Executive Search to lead the search for Charleston Southern’s fourth president.

JUNE 12

LOGISTICS/DISTRIBUTION

List: Logistics Providers, Warehouse Services

Advertising Deadline: May 29

JULY 17 STARTUPS

List: Business Assistance Organizations

Advertising Deadline: July 3

AUGUST 14

REAL ESTATE

List: Commercial Real Estate Firms, Residential Real Estate Firms

Advertising Deadline: July 31 For

GREENVILLE

Jason Thomas, Charleston Regional Business Journal

Krys Merryman, GSA Business Report

The site of the old Greenville auditorium has been empty since the 1990s. (Rendering/Provided by NR Investments)

Jason Thomas, executive editor jthomas@scbiznews.com • 864.568.7570

Ross Norton, managing editor-content rnorton@scbiznews.com • 864.720.1222

Andrew Sprague, managing editor-production asprague@scbiznews.com • 843.804.6104

Christina Lee Knauss, sta writer cknauss@scbiznews.com • 803.753.4327

Krys Merryman, sta writer kmerryman@scbiznews.com • 864.640.4418

Steve McDaniel, editor, Custom Publishing Division smcdaniel@scbiznews.com • 843.849.3121

Aiken plant expands to make generators for Rolls-Royce ship engines

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

ASouth Carolina city known for its equestrian traditions will produce a different kind of horsepower for the U.S. Navy after Rolls-Royce was chosen to supply generators for the ship USS Congress.

The Power Systems division of RollsRoyce has been selected to supply four of its mtu naval generator sets for the USS Congress, the second ship in the U.S. Navy’s Constellation Class Guided-Missile Frigate program, according to a news release from Rolls-Royce.

The company said it has made “significant investment” at its production facilities in Aiken and Mankato, Minn., to support the program and manufacture the generator sets in the United States.

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Rolls-Royce is currently supplying mtu generator sets for the lead ship in the Constellation Class program, the USS Constellation (FFG 62), relying on its established team in Friedrichshafen, Germany, to fulfil the project. For the second ship, the FFG-63, the company has transferred advanced technology and detailed manufacturing processes to the United States, investing in new facility improvements and creating up to 20 new jobs to enhance its Aiken and Mankato plants.

This investment will not only accommodate the specific needs of the FFG program but also support future potential U.S. naval business, the company said in the release. Investments made at the facilities are new assembly tooling and material handling equipment, upgraded hoist systems, adapted test cells and building expansion, in addition to the new jobs.

“We’re not only proud to continue our support of our partners in the U.S. Navy but are also thrilled to bring the manufacturing of our mtu naval gensets to the U.S.,” Adam Wood, managing director, Rolls-Royce Solutions America, said in the release. “Working with our colleagues in Germany for a seamless technology transfer to our Aiken and Mankato facilities has

strengthened our ability to meet the high expectations of this project and better position us to compete for future government programs.”

The USS Congress is a multi-mission warship designed for operation in littoral and blue water environments to conduct air, anti-submarine, surface and electronic warfare, in addition to information operations, the news release said. The four generator sets, each rated at 3000 electric kilowatts, will provide a total power output of 12 megawatts for propulsion and on-board power supply.

Marinette, Wisc., was awarded the build contract for the project. The completed vessel will be powered by a combined diesel-electric and gas turbine, allowing for energy-efficient diesel power generation for propulsion at normal cruising speeds with extended range, while enhancing anti-submarine capability in its extremely quiet diesel-electric configuration, the release said. When completed, the ship will be nearly 500 feet in length, accommodate up to 200 crew and be capable of speeds in excess of 26 knots, with a range of 6,000 nautical miles at 16 knots.

Fincantieri Marinette Marine of

The USS Congress is the second ship in the U.S. Navy’s Constellation Class Guided-Missile Frigate program.

The four generator sets are based on the power-dense mtu 20V 4000 M53B engine. (Images/Provided)

Your workforce is your greatest asset

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To learn more, call 833-890-2109 or visit Prisma.Health/WorkforceWellness

Some benefits of working with Employer Health Services include:

• Continuity of care for injury treatment.

• Board-certified occupational health physician oversight and support.

• Primary care services on-site

• Experienced backup medical coverage.

• Competitive pricing and easy scheduling.

Tupelo Honey will be sweet new addition to Columbia’s BullStreet DistrictNational

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Apopular restaurant chain focused on Southern cuisine will open a location at Columbia’s BullStreet District.

Asheville-based Tupelo Honey Café will open its first South Carolina location in the first quarter of 2024 inside the new Bennet at BullStreet mixed-use complex, according to a news release. The restaurant, known for scratch-made Southern food and handmade cocktails, will occupy 5,800 square feet inside the complex.

Founded in Asheville in 2000, Tupelo Honey currently has 20 restaurants in 13 states, including Greenville and Myrtle Beach locations in South Carolina. Tupelo Honey is continuing to expand their operations nationwide with new locations in Indianapolis, Indiana; Lenexa, Kansas; Omaha, Nebraska; Las Colinas, Texas and others in development.

“When I first visited the BullStreet District, I knew it was not a matter of if we wanted to be there, but when -- the ‘when’ is now,” said Tupelo Honey Cafe CEO Stephen Frabitore. “BullStreet is a vibrant, mixed-use district that reflects the authenticity of downtown Columbia, and we are excited to be a part of all the good things happening in the district and city.”

The restaurant’s announcement was music to Robert Hughes’ ears. Hughes is president of Hughes Development Corp., the master developer of the BullStreet District. On the same afternoon Tupelo Honey confirmed the new Columbia location, Hughes was on site at BullStreet taking a look at the latest construction on the Bennet at BullStreet building which will house Tupelo Honey.

“BullStreet is on a rocket ship right now – everything is accelerating incred-

ibly quickly,” Hughes told SC Biz News. “Tupelo Honey compliments what BullStreet is all about because our goal here is to cater to all types of people of all ages, and this is one of those restaurants that caters to all types of diners. We want to offer high quality activities here that are engaging, experiential and can’t be found in any other part of the city, and they are a perfect fit.”

Tupelo Honey will feature a variety of brunch, lunch and dinner options,

including its most popular southern dishes such as honey-dusted fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and chicken and waffles.

In addition to its extensive menu, Tupelo Honey features a robust bar. Guests can choose from numerous signature handmade cocktails such as “Peach Don’t Kill My Vibe,” a sparkling sangria; “Tupelomo,” a fruity tequila cocktail; and “The Debutante,” a twist on a classic vodka drink with housemade lavender lemonade.

Tupelo Honey joins one locally owned restaurant in the District. Publico at BullStreet, which opened in 2022, featured Latin-Asian fusion cuisine. Another destination for diners and craft beer lovers will open later this year when Delaware-based Iron Hill Brewery opens its second South Carolina location in the District. Iron Hill features house-brewed craft beer and a wide menu of selections made from scratch. Construction on the Iron Hill site is moving along rapidly and the eatery is slated to open this summer.

“Iron Hill’s compliments Tupelo Honey because they brew everything in-house and are an experiential brewery,” Hughes said “Both of these tenants are big on offering a high-quality, experience-driven concept, and that’s the kind of energy we want at BullStreet.”

Popular Camden Mexican street food restaurant coming to Rosewood Drive in Columbia

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Apopular Mexican restaurant in downtown Camden plans to open a Columbia location this summer.

Masa Mexican Street Food will occupy a space in the 5th and Sloan development at 2811 Rosewood Drive near the area’s new Starbucks. The location is next to the former Rosewood Baptist Church which was recently transformed into apartments.

This will be the second location for the restaurant, which is owned by Columbia restaurateur Alfonso Bravo. Bravo also owns COA Agaveria Y Cocina, an upscale Mexican restaurant on Lady Street in Columbia’s Vista. The original MASA is located in Camden, where Bravo also operates Salud Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar; in addition, the restaurateur has a San Jose restaurant in Elgin.

“We are excited to have Masa join the 5th & Sloan development this summer — their menu is both authentic and delicious and the brand will be a huge addition to Columbia,” said Frank Cason, president of Cason Development Group, developer for the project.

Bravo said he was drawn to the walkability of the Rosewood and

Shandon neighborhoods.

“We’re in a great neighborhood. You see everybody walking and taking their golf carts,” Bravo said in a news release.

“This is an area that I’ve always felt gives you that city feel where you are downtown, but you’re not downtown.”

Masa at 5th & Sloan will occupy a 2,906-square-foot space in an existing building that Cason renovated across Sloan Street from the former Rosewood Church at 2809 Rosewood Drive. The

restaurant, which will offer counter service for lunch and full service for dinner, will have a full bar, and will also feature an outdoor patio. Bravo is planning for the restaurant to accommodate about 100 diners. Dan Sherer of Sherer & Associates is the architect for the project.

Masa’s tamales and tortillas are homemade, and the menu includes dishes such as street corn, tacos, quesadillas, burritos, bowls and a variety of side dishes.

The eatery is also known for its full bar,

specialty cocktails on draft and tiki-style craft drinks.

The Columbia location will feature the same menu as the one available in Camden, according to a manager at Masa.

Bravo is aiming for a July 1 opening date for the Columbia location.

In Camden, Masa is located at 2209 West Dekalb St., and is open 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and closed on Sundays.

Founded in Asheville, Tupelo Honey now has 20 restaurants in 13 states. (Photo/Provided)

Masa Mexican Street Food will occupy a space at 2811 Rosewood Drive near the area’s new Starbucks. (Photo/Provided)

southern honey-dusted fried chicken extensive menu, robust bar. numerous such as sparkling tequila a twist with houselocally District. Publiin 2022, cuisine. diners and this year Brewery Carolina locafeatures a wide scratch.

Hill site is eatery is Tupelo everything experiential brewthese tenants high-quality, expethat’s the BullStreet.”

Columbia

National tool company closing SC plant

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

Anational tool maker on March 20 announced a “transformation strategy” that will result in growth for two of its plants, but closure for a South Carolina site.

Stanley Black & Decker said in a news release that is changing its distribution network, which means change for several manufacturing centers.

Part of that plan is to close a plant in Cheraw and move that operation to Tennessee into already existing facilities in Jackson and Gallatin, the company said in the news release. Stanley Black & Decker also will close operations at a site in Fort Worth, Texas.

The changes mean 80 new jobs in Tennessee but the loss of jobs for 175 employees in Texas and 182 at the Cheraw plant. Cheraw is in the Pee Dee region of South Carolina, near Florence and Darlington.

“The company is focused on providing a smooth transition to impacted employees including options for employment at other Stanley Black & Decker facilities, as well as job placement support services,” the company said in the statement.

Stanley Black & Decker said the actions are aligned to a transformation strategy designed to deliver $2 billion of

cost savings “and are reflective of current economic conditions which highlighted needed changes in Stanley Black & Decker’s production and distribution network.”

The changes will enable a more focused product portfolio and strategic sourcing while improving operations and service, the company said in the release.

“These efforts will support and strengthen Stanley Black & Decker’s core business, drive financial performance, and enable investments to ensure sustainable future growth,” the statement said.

Stanley Black & Decker has been headquartered in Connecticut since

1843, and today has more than 40 manufacturing facilities and nearly 19,000 employees in the United States. Before this announcement, the company workforce had grown by 5,000 over the last five years, the news release said.

The company’s brands include Dewalt, Craftsman, Cub Cadet and Troy-Bilt.

Changes designed to focus the Stanley Black & Decker portfolio mean job losses for the company’s employees in Cheraw. (Photo/Provided)

Charleston company produces cable that brings energy from offshore

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Electric vehicles and the batteries needed to power them have made most of the manufacturing headlines in South Carolina recently, but other segments of the clean energy revolution are making the news and history here as well.

One Charleston company has taken a groundbreaking role in a more climate friendly way of getting electricity to homes — wind energy.

The U.S. government in 2022 set a lofty target of producing 30 gigawatts of operating offshore wind capacity by 2030, but that goal is in jeopardy according to recent reports because current wind farm projects in the works risk delays because of limited domestic manufacturing and supply chain problems slowing down shipments of components from overseas.

Through its subsea-cable production facility in Goose Creek near Charleston, global cable company Nexans is determined to help solve that problem.

Headquartered in Paris, Nexans has 28,000 employees worldwide and a manufacturing presence in 42 countries, including seven locations in the United States.

The Charleston plant, which employs 150 people, recently became the first cable production plant on U.S. soil to produce undersea cable to be used at a wind farm based here. It also is currently the only facility in the country capable of manufacturing high voltage subsea cables.

In February, special heavy-duty undersea cable made in Charleston was shipped to New York for use at the South Fork Wind Farm, a 132-megawatt, 12-turbine offshore wind farm located 35 miles offshore of Montauk Point, N.Y., that, once complete will eventually produce enough electricity to power 70,000 homes in the town of East Hampton on Long Island.

South Fork is the result of a partnership between Danish company Orsted, a global leader in offshore wind development, and Boston-based power company Eversource. Construction on South Fork started in early 2022 and the project is expected to be online by the end of 2023.

The cable made in Charleston will be used to connect the offshore wind farm to the onshore grid. The final load of cable is headed for New York in March.

“This is a great milestone for us,” said Brian Boan, director of Nexans’ Charleston plant. “It enables us to become leaders of this industry here at a time when our competitors don’t have a footprint over here yet.”

For Boan, the first shipment of cable to the Long Island project was the culmination of months of hard work — and years of planning that enabled the Charleston plant to be at the forefront of the wind energy movement in the United States.

Boan, who has a background in

engineering, has been with Nexans in Charleston since its beginning in 2011 when the site along the Cooper River was “nothing but dirt and trees,” he said. The plant, which went into operation in 2013, originally build high voltage cable for use on land. In 2017, company leaders looked at the future of wind energy and decided to transform the Charleston facility to produce high voltage subsea cables.

Their reasoning? Location, location, location.

“It was a strategic decision because of our location on the banks of the Cooper River,” Boan said. “It was strategic to enable cable-laying vessels to pull right up next to the plant and load out the cable, then have direct access to head out to these global projects offshore.”

Nexans also has the advantage of having one of the world’s most advanced fleets of cable-laying vessels, according to information on the company’s website. The boats include the newly commissioned Nexans Aurora and the Skagerrak, currently in service, which are both designed for complex cable-installation operations at all depths.

Boan said Nexans initially invested about $250 million into expansion of the Charleston facility to enable it for subsea cable production along with the existing land cable operations. An additional $65 million expansion is planned for the Charleston facility in the future.

The cable made in Charleston isn’t your run-of-the-mill electric wire, Boan said. These cables have to be capable of

The South Carolina plant, which employs 150 workers, will be the first in the United States to produce undersea cable. (Photo/Provided)

The cables are designed to withstand some of the harshest conditions on the planet. (Photo/Provided) See NEXANS CABLE, Page 22

Law firm leases space in Forest Acres building

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Alaw firm specializing in employment law will be moving to new office space in Forest Acres.

Gignilliat, Savitz & Bettis LLP recently leased a 6,806-square-foot office space at 3700 Landmark Drive. Colliers South Carolina’s Allen Wilkerson represented the firm in the lease.

“When we began looking for new space, we really wanted to be in the Forest Acres area,” said law firm partner Chris Johnson. “We are excited that Allen and the Colliers team helped us make that happen.”

The firm provides employment and labor law services to South Carolina employers and has been in service for more than 50 years. It has been recognized by Chambers USA, Super Lawyers and Legal Elite and is highly rated by Martindale-Hubbell for legal and ethical ability.

“This new and modern office environment will assist in leading the firm forward for years to come,” Wilkerson said.

Wilkerson is a vice president for Colliers South Carolina and a member of the o ce brokerage team, specializing in corporate and landlord consulting services as well as representation of clients in the leasing and sale of o ce properties.

Two Columbia restaurants named finalists for James Beard

By Christina Lee Knauss Cknauss@scbiznews.com

Two Columbia restaurants are finalists for James Beard Awards from the prestigious James Beard Foundation. Lula Drake Wine Parlour is a finalist for outstanding hospitality and Aaron Hoskins, Sarah Simmons and Elie Yigo of CITY GRIT Hospitality are finalists for Outstanding Restaurateur.

“We wish both of our finalists the best and want them to know how proud we are of them.”

Bill Ellen president and CEO of Experience Columbia SC

Columbia Is the only South Carolina city represented among the group nominees and the only city In the Southeast with two finalists.

“The Columbia region continues to expand its culinary talent and experienc-

ly proud to be a standout within the state of South Carolina and the broader Southeast region. This achievement is evidence of the incredible talent who call Columbia home. We wish both of our finalists the best and want them to know how proud we are of

Gignilliat, Savitz & Bettis LLP leased 6,806 square feet on Landmark Drive.

Electric materials company investing $52M in Lexington County operations

New vintage store opens in Columbia’s Five Points

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

this all wouldn’t have happened.”

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Aconsumer-owned electric materials supplier will invest $52 million to expand its operations in Lexington County.

Cooperative Electric Energy Utility Supply Inc. purchased the 247,000-square-foot Airport Distribution Center speculative building at 1029 Colite Ave. in West Columbia from Scannell Properties, according to a news release. The new operations are expected to create 61 new jobs.

Established in 1974 by the S.C. Electric Cooperatives, CEEUS along with its wholly owned subsidiary Line Equipment Sales Inc. serves electric cooperatives, municipalities, investor-owned utilities and electrical contractors across South Carolina. In addition to electrical materials, the

company also offers personal protective equipment testing and a tool repair service, the release said.

“The purchase of this new warehouse and move for our corporate headquarters is a big step in the future of CEEUS and our customers,” said company President and CEO Chad Capps. “We look forward to a bright future and continued growth while helping utilities serve the families of South Carolina.”

The company plans to upfit and expand the new facility to accommodate its corporate headquarters, a new state-of-the-art test lab and a tool repair shop.

“The company provides an invaluable service to help meet a critical need for communities, and we look forward to seeing the boost that this expansion provides in serving that need and opportunities for local citizens,” said Central SC Alliance Chairman Matthew Shaffer.

Shoppers longing for the looks they remember from the 1970s, ‘80s, or ‘90s — or those who want to wear them for the first time — will enjoy a new vintage store that opened in mid-March in Columbia’s Five Points district.

Pannerpete Vintage, located at 738 Harden St., offers men’s and women’s clothing and shoes from many different eras, as well as a selection of jewelry and accessories.

City officials held an official ribbon-cutting ceremony for the store on March 13.

The store is owned by Columbia resident Katie Roberts and managed by her husband David Hicks.

Roberts credits her mother with starting her love for vintage fashion.

“My mom took me thrifting as a kid and she was the one who got me interested in the world of second-hand fashion,” Roberts said at the ribbon cutting. “Without her

Pannerpete’s brick-and-mortar store grew out of the vintage clothing stall she has run for the past five years at the popular weekly Soda City Market in downtown Columbia and will continue to maintain now that the store is open.

“Everyone who has ever shopped with us at Soda City — you are the people who made the store happen,” Roberts said.

All of the store’s stock is hand-selected by Roberts and mostly comes from thrift stores around the Midlands and elsewhere in the state. Some selections come from farther away, however.

“Wherever we travel we have to stop in thrift stores,” Hicks said. “We recently took a trip to South Dakota and thrifted our way there.”

Prices at Pannerpete start as low as $5, with most items being $15 and above. Select items will be more expensive depending on their age or rarity.

Pannerpete Vintage is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week.

CEEUS serves electric cooperatives, municipalities and other power providers across the state. (Photo/Stock)

The store specializes in clothing from the 1970s into the 1990s. (Photo/Provided)

Merger of Nexsen Pruet and Alabama firm becomes official

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

The merger between one of Columbia’s largest law firms and an Alabama firm became official on April 1.

Alabama-based Maynard Cooper and Gale and Carolinas-based Nexsen Pruet has officially merged to become one national law firm known as Maynard Nexsen, according to a news release.

The firm’s more than 550 professionals operate out of 23 offices coast

to coast in the United States. This merger combines two client-centered firms focused on further expansion in high-growth, high-opportunity markets, bolstered by the increased depth and breadth of client service offerings, according to the firm’s leaders.

“This merger represents the union of two firms that have experienced growth and momentum over the past several years.” said Jeff Grantham, CEO and managing shareholder. “Now, we move forward as one, accelerating that

growth through the synergies that come with an expanded geographic footprint, a deepening of expertise and talent, and an even greater commitment to our collective client-first approach.”

Client growth has already been realized in immediate referrals between the merged firms. For example, a corporate client in Alabama announced a $130 million investment in South Carolina, and the new Maynard Nexsen team quickly engaged, the release said.

“I am incredibly excited to

officially begin our work under the Maynard Nexsen name,” said Leighton Lord, president and chief strategy officer. “Maynard Nexsen’s client-centered culture and bold entrepreneurial spirit are the driving forces behind our combined vision for growth. With our new bench strength and expertise, we are already better serving our clients with the same value proposition.”

Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803753-4327.

Former Lizard’s Thicket site in Columbia to become Mexican restaurant

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Aformer site of popular Columiba restaurant chain Lizard’s Thicket will soon become a Mexican restaurant.

The 6,500-square-foot restaurant building at 402 Beltline Boulevard has been sold to Cason Development Group LLC. Crawford Prezioso of Colliers South Carolina represented RMJJ in the sale of the building.

The building will be modified to accommodate Moctezuma’s Mexican Restaurant,

according to a news release.

The long-standing Lizard’s Thicket location closed during the height of the

COVID-19 and owners of the chain decided to close it permanently because of ongoing staffing issues.

Lizard’s Thicket has been a fixture in the greater Columbia area since original owners Bob and Anna Williams opened the first restaurant on Broad River Road in 1977. Since then, the country-cooking chain has expanded to 12 locations in Richland and Lexington counties and one in Florence.

“We are happy to represent the Williams family of RMJJ on the disposition of this Lizard’s Thicket location,” Prezioso said in the release. “The property is in a great location, enabling us to achieve a high value for the property. It will continue to serve the local community as a family restaurant.”

The former Lizard’s Thicket and the soon to be Moctezuma’s Mexican Restaurant.

The Midlands future shifts into a different gear

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

With the stroke of a pen, the economic future of Richland County and South Carolina’s Midlands was transformed on March 20.

At a ceremony held at the S.C. State House, Gov. Henry McMaster signed legislation nicknamed the “Scout Motors Bill” which approves more than $1.3 billion in state funding to boost infrastructure in support of the $2 billion investment Scout Motors Inc. is making to establish operations in Blythewood.

The Virginia-based EV startup hopes to break ground later this summer on 1,100 acres in the Blythewood Industrial Park where it will manufacture electric trucks and SUVs. Company officials hope to begin production on the vehicles by 2026. Scout Motors Inc. is a subsidiary of Volkswagen.

Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Scout Motors, said the company chose Richland County over 74 other sites nationwide.

“We were looking for a place to call home, and Richland County proved to be the right place,” Keogh said. “We’re reviving an iconic American brand that

will make a rugged American truck designed for the American market, and it’s going to be made right here in South Carolina. The bold vision of Scout matched up well with the bold vision of this state.”

The Scout project, announced early in March, is the largest economic investment in the history of Richland County and finally gives the Midlands a presence in the state’s powerful automotive sector. The industry here first took off more than 30 years ago with BMW’s arrival in the Upstate and continued to grow with the arrival of Volvo and Mercedes Vans in the Charleston area.

Most recently, Oshkosh Defense announced plans to build the next generation of mail delivery vehicle in Spartanburg County, while part of the Proterra electric bus — a city bus-sized vehicle — is assembled in Greenville. BMW Manufacturing alone has a $26.7 billion economic impact on the state, according to the latest study, released this week by the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina.

The Midlands region, however, never got a piece of the automotive pie until Scout came calling in December of 2022. The company’s officials have said

they were impressed with how quickly the deal with Richland County came together, and named the area’s location and availability of a large workforce as factors that cemented their decision.

McMaster and company officials also signed the official Project Development Agreement to bring Scout to the Midlands on March 20.

Scout officials hope to produce about 200,000 of the rugged electric trucks and SUVs at the plant annually, and an independent economic analysis of the project recently predicted that the project could earn $15 billion by 2029, with an additional $4 billion a year after that.

The company’s record-breaking announcement will not only be transforming the economic landscape of Richland County, but also the area’s infrastructure.

State funding will be used for a host of infrastructure improvements to support Scout’s operations, including construction of a railroad bridge across I-77 and a new highway interchange to route traffic toward the Scout plant without overcrowding downtown Blythewood.

Richland County Council officials on March 30 announced the beginning of a massive road construction project in Blythewood to widen Blythewood

Road, using $15.6 million in funds from Richland County’s penny sales tax for roads and transportation. Residents of the town in northeast Richland have complained for years that growth in the area has made the road dangerous for drivers, pedestrians and cyclists.

Construction on the widening project started April 3 and will widen a .8 mile stretch of the road, doubling the lanes and also adding on a 15-foot turning median and 10 feet of cycling and walking paths on either side of the road.

An entrance to the future Scout Motors plant will also be located along Blythewood Road and will be particularly useful for trucks entering and leaving the facility, officials said. The road widening is estimated to be complete in April 2025.

Richland County Council also gave final approval March 21 for a massive incentives package for the Scout project, including the land for the site, a 40-year fee in lieu of tax agreement, childcare credits for Scout employees and upgrades to the Blythewood fire station.

“Excitement about this project is an understatement,” Richland County Council Chairman Overture Walker

Gov. Henry McMaster met with officials from Scout Motors Inc. to sign legislation and a performance agreement cementing the EV startup’s $2B investment in Richland County. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

Electrified future

Mercedes-Benz invests $60 million in safety training, upgrades at North Charleston plant to produce all-electric eSprinter

By Jenny Peterson

What’s the cost to add a new electric eSprinter van to the existing gas-powered Sprinter van production line in North Charleston? A cool $60 million.

German automaker giant Mercedes-Benz said the investment includes cross-training its 1,600 North Charleston employees on how to safely handle high-voltage engine batteries as well as adding a new warehouse to store electric vehicle parts.

The Lowcountry facility remains on track to roll out the newest generation of the all-electric eSprinter van in the second half of 2023, said Jamila Anderson, communications specialist for Mercedes-Benz Vans LLC.

The vans are set to get a range of about 250 miles per charge. Photos of the new eSprinter show the plug to charge the battery located behind the shiny Mercedes Benz logo on the front of the van.

Anderson said the company has been leaning on internal training and pivoting employees who have been manufacturing traditional internal combustion engine Sprinter vans to the electric version.

In-house team members, including experts from Germany, have been flying in to the Lowcountry to help train employees

on manufacturing with the high-voltage batteries.

“Some of (the German-based employees) have been here for the last year helping prepare our plant and our people for the eSprinter,” said Anderson. “There has been a big focus of awareness around high-voltage training and handling of the batteries. Team members have received on-site expert training on high voltage procedures as well as hands-on expert training in Germany at our sister plants.”

In 2021, Mercedes-Benz announced a goal to produce only electric vehicles globally by 2030. The North Charleston facility currently assembles internal combustion engine Sprinter vans and re-assembles inter-

nal combustion engine Metris vans in both cargo and passenger options.

The Lowcountry facility will continue to manufacture the traditional gas-powered vans simultaneously with the electric eSprinter on the same production line, until the former is phased out, Anderson said.

This is the first time the eSprinter will be manufactured in the United States by the German automaker. It will be solely for the North American market, said Anderson, adding that Mercedes-Benz will be sourcing its electric vehicle batteries from “within its existing network.”

While Mercedes-Benz Vans plants in Germany have been manufacturing a previous generation of the eSprinter, the North Charleston plant was selected as the first Mercedes Benz plant worldwide to create the newest generation of eSprinter vans due to its success in delivering its current production models, Anderson said.

“We’ve worked really hard for it,” Anderson said. “We’re producing it first globally, and then the Germany plants will follow. Mercedes-Benz saw how well we were doing with (manufacturing) the traditional internal combustible engine Sprinter van and also (saw) the importance that the North American market holds for the Mercedes-Benz van globally. Right after Germany, we’re the second largest market and we are the

only (Sprinter-style) van manufacturer for North America. Those were the key factors in choosing North Charleston and getting the eSprinter to those North American customers.”

The eSprinter, like its gas-powered counterpart, will be fully customizable to customer specifications, outfitted with either rows of seats and windows or builder-grade shelves, customizable side doors that can be placed on either side, a state-of-the-art navigation system, driver assist options and more.

“Our production system is flexible, so, say we have an ICE (internal combustion engine) van going down the line, one van can be a passenger van with all the bells and whistles, but the next van right afterwards could be a cargo van. We have certain customizations that we handle at the plant,” Anderson said.

The gas-powered Mercedes Benz Sprinter cargo van starts at $43,500. While the price tag for the eSprinter is still pending, Anderson said she does not expect there will be a significant price difference.

Since June 2006, more than 200,000 Sprinter and Metris vans have been assembled in North Charleston and delivered to destinations in the U.S. The operation moved into a full-scale production plant with a body shop, paint shop and extended assembly line in 2018.

“Team members have received on-site expert training on high voltage procedures as well as hands-on expert training in Germany at our sister plants.”

Jamila Anderson communications specialist for MercedesBenz Vans LLC.

State DOE orders 160 Proterra-powered electric school buses

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

The South Carolina Department of Education will buy 160 Thomas electric school buses, powered by Proterra, for school districts across the state over the next year, under a new procurement finalized this month between the Department of Education and Thomas Built Buses dealer Interstate Transportation.

The buses are Proterra Powered SafT-Liner C2 Jouley electric school buses. Proterra is headquartered in Burlingame, Calif., with manufacturing facilities in Los Angeles and Greenville. The company considers Greenville its anchor for East Coast operations.

“With our company’s long history in South Carolina, Proterra is thrilled to see the surge in the number and variety of schools that will soon have access to electric school buses in the state that many of our employees call home,” Chris Bailey, Proterra’s chief business officer, said in the release. “Knowing that the EV technologies we’re building at our Powered 1 battery factory in Greer, S.C., are enabling the next generation of clean, quiet transportation for South Carolina students makes this news even more special to our Proterra team. Now, through initiatives like the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program, even more students and communities are accelerating the transition to an all-electric, emissions-free future.”

Proterra has manufactured part of the electric bus in Greenville for nearly two decades, but announced plans in December 2021 to invest at least $76 million in a new battery manufacturing plant in Greer. The company two months ago celebrated production of its first battery.

The 160-bus order for South Carolina schools is the single largest order of electric school buses funded entirely by the Environmental Protection Agency’s new Clean School Bus Program, according to a news release.

“The South Carolina Department of Education is proud to partner with Thomas Built Buses and Proterra to bring more zero-emission, all-electric school buses to our state. We’re excited to see the positive impact these buses will have on our community,” Mike Bullman, transportation director for the S.C. Department of Education, said in the news release. “This partnership puts South Carolina at the forefront of the vehicle electrification movement and brings us one step closer toward building a healthier and more sustainable future for the next generation of students.”

Thomas Built Buses and Proterra offer school bus operators an electric vehicle program that includes EV planning and funding consultation, electric school buses, charging systems, and charging infrastructure design and installation. The Saf-T-Liner C2 Jouley couples 226 kilowatt hours of onboard energy from Pro-

terra Powered’s battery technology to offer up to 135 miles of drive range to meet the needs of school bus fleets, the release said.

More than 300 Thomas Proterra Powered

electric school buses are on the road, and have driven more than 1 million miles for school districts across North America.

Thomas Built Buses is currently the

only school bus manufacturer to offer DC fast charging architecture as standard equipment, the releasesaid. The Jouley can charge in about three hours and can supply power back to the grid using vehicleto-grid technology.

“We applaud the state of South Carolina for their commitment to providing emission-free pupil transportation solutions to the many areas awarded funding through the Clean School Bus Program,” Kevin Bangston, president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses, said in the release. “It’s an ambitious undertaking and we are proud to be a key partner in this initiative.”

Founded in 1916, Thomas Built Buses is headquartered in High Point, N.C. It is a subsidiary of Daimler Truck North America LLC, which also produces and markets commercial vehicles under the Freightliner and Western Star nameplates.

Proterra’s East Coast operations facility in Greenville, South Carolina. (Rendering/Provided)

Clean running buses for city transportation. (Rendering/Provided)

Proterra will be involved in initiatives such as the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program. (Rendering/Provided)

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

ANorth Carolina-based company will invest at least $1.3 billion to build a lithium hydroxide processing facility in Chester County.

Albemarle Corporation, headquartered in Charlotte, will establish South Carolina operations on 800 acres near Richburg, according to a news release. The “Mega-Flex” lithium hydroxide processing facility will transform resources such as lithium and bromine into critical ingredients that can be used for mobility, energy, connectivity and health, the release said.

The project will create more than 300 new jobs and support the surging demand

for electric vehicles and other energy storage applications that use lithium-ion batteries.

“Albemarle is focused on meeting growing customer demand and this investment is part of our global commitment to transforming

essential resources into critical ingredients that enable a more resilient world,” said Kent Masters, CEO for Albemarle Corp.

The term “Mega-Flex” refers to the facility’s ability to process diverse lithium feed-

stock, including lithium from recycled batteries, according to the release. Once complete, company officials estimate the new facility will produce about 50,000 metric tons of battery-grade lithium hydroxide from multiple sources, with the potential to reach up to 100,000 metric tons.

Construction is expected to begin in 2024.

The S.C. Commerce Department’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project, according to the release. The council also awarded a $9 million Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to Chester County to assist with the costs of mitigation, site preparation and infrastructure improvements. Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.

Battery recycler to invest $300M in processing plant

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Abattery recycling company will invest $300 million to build a processing plant in Richland County.

Cirba Solutions, headquartered in Charlotte, will build the first phase of a lithium-ion battery recycling and reprocessing facility in the Pineview Industrial Park, a move that will create more than 300 jobs,

according to a news release.

The company hopes to make those hires within five years as it develops what will eventually become its flagship facility on more than 200 acres in the industrial park off Shop Road in the Lower Richland area, the release said.

Richland County Council on March 21 gave final approval on a 40-year fee-in-lieuof-tax agreement with the company.

“We’re proud to welcome yet another

successful business to Pineview Industrial Park,” said Council Chairman Overture Walker. “We’re grateful that Cirba Solutions, an industry leader that promotes solutions for a sustainable economy, is investing in our community.”

The focus of the new facility will be processing hybrid and electric vehicle batteries, gigafactory scrap and end-of-life consumer batteries and redistributing them into the supply chain, according to the release.

Cirba Solutions operates six facilities in North America. The company aims to begin operations in Richland County by the end of 2023 and expand in phases through 2027 until the company has an operational footprint of more than 400,000 square feet.

People interested in working with Cirba can apply online.

Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.

Lithium is a key ingredient the facility will use to create key material for electric vehicles. (Photo/Provided)

Battery recycling company will invest $300M in Richland County plant

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Abattery recycling company will invest $300 million to build a processing plant in Richland County.

Cirba Solutions, headquartered in Charlotte, will build the first phase of a lithium-ion battery recycling and reprocessing facility in the Pineview Industrial Park, a move that will create more than 300 jobs, according to a news release.

The company hopes to make those hires within five years as it develops what will eventually become its flagship facility on more than 200 acres in the industrial park off Shop Road in the Lower Richland area, the release said.

Richland County Council on March 21 gave final approval on a 40-year fee-inlieu-of-tax agreement with the company.

“We’re proud to welcome yet another successful business to Pineview Industrial Park,” said Council Chairman Overture Walker. “We’re grateful that Cirba Solutions, an industry leader that promotes solutions for a sustainable economy, is investing in our community.”

The focus of the new facility will be

processing hybrid and electric vehicle batteries, gigafactory scrap and end-oflife consumer batteries and redistributing them into the supply chain, according to the release.

Cirba Solutions operates six facilities in North America. The company aims to begin operations in Richland County by the end of 2023 and expand in phases through 2027 until the company has an operational footprint of more than 400,000 square feet.

BMW’s $26B impact on South Carolina economy still growing

By Krys Merryman kmerryman@yahoo.com

It’s no clandestine feat that the automotive manufacturing industry has skyrocketed over the last few decades in South Carolina.

BMW Group’s Plant Spartanburg has a lot to do with that success — and they released a new study showing just how massive the plant’s annual economic impact is on the state — remaining a significant economic driver for South Carolina, since its inception in the early 1990s.

According to the study conducted by the Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina, the annual economic impact of the Spartanburg plant totals approximately $26.7 billion, which reflects all goods and services produced in the state both directly and indirectly. In addition to that, the plant supports nearly 43,000 jobs across the state — which accounts for 4.8% of all manufacturing jobs in South Carolina — making it one of the highest employment multipliers in the state, equaling $3.1 billion in salaries and wages.

“BMW has had a tremendous impact on the state,” said Joseph Van Nessen, research economist at the University of South Carolina. “Their arrival in 1992 transformed the Upstate and South Carolina while creating an export-oriented automotive manufacturing cluster that has become one of the state’s fastest-growing industry sectors.”

Since 2017, the total number of jobs created increased by an average of 4.3% per

year, which is more than three times the state average over the same period. From 2011-2021, the state’s automotive manufacturing industry increased more than 167%, according to the study, which is more than any other state in the Southeast.

As of 2023, the plant produces more than 1,500 vehicles per day and regularly utilizes more than 500 South Carolina-based suppliers, including more than 40 Tier 1 suppliers. In October, the plant announced its seventh major expansion — a $1.7 billion investment — to prepare for the production of electric vehicles and to build a $700 million high-voltage battery assembly plant in Woodruff. This most recent investment will continue to increase the plant’s economic impact in the future.

“Since coming to South Carolina 30 years ago, BMW has created thousands of sustainable jobs, invested in our people through training, and contributed to educational, cultural and civic programs across the state,” said Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing. “Our success is due to the dedication of our associates, the support of our supplier network, and the collaboration and cooperation with state and local officials. Now we are moving forward as we begin the transformation of our plant toward battery-electric vehicles.”

By 2030, the BMW Group will build at least six fully electric models in the United States, with its first set to release in 2026. Plant Spartanburg, the only U.S. BMW factory, is the company’s largest.

The group chose Envision AESC as its

battery cell partner and will produce newly developed round lithium-ion battery cells, which were specifically designed for the sixth generation of BMW eDrive technology and will be used in the next generation of electric vehicles. The annual capacity of the battery cell factory will be up to 30 gigawatt hours.

The group also opened a new technical training center in October, which is being used to promote creative learning, foster innovation and advance technical skills of its workforce. Inside the $20 million, 68,000-square-foot building are areas for hands-on vocational training as well as advanced training in robotics and controls, mechatronics, automotive technology and electrification.

Additionally, a new press shop is under

construction, in which BMW Group invested more than $200 million to construct the 219,000-square-foot shop on the plant site.

The investment, which was announced a little more than a year ago, will provide more than 200 new jobs. The shop will start production next summer and will take raw coils of steel, cut them into blanks, and stamp sheet metal parts for future BMW models.

“BMW’s impact on South Carolina is far reaching,” said S.C. Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III. “The company’s foresight in recognizing the possibilities of manufacturing automobiles here has contributed to our success as an automotive powerhouse. I look forward to seeing how BMW and South Carolina continue to impact the future of the automotive industry.”

Cirba Solutions, which is headquartered in Charlotte, says their Richland County plant will have 300 workers in the next five years. (Rendering/Provided)

The new factory will process hybrid and electric vehicle batteries in the heart of the industry’s new Battery Belt. (Photo/Provided)

The 2023 models reach the end of the production line at BMW Manufacturing in Greer. (Photo/Provided)

told SC Biz News. “We’re always trying to conjure up ways to move the needle for residents in this county when it comes to economic development. We’ve been on a rather historic run in recent months and this is a culmination of a lot of work and effort.”

Scout officials have said they want work on the Blythewood facility to be “aggressive” and hope to begin construction in the near future, but Chris Condon, chief financial officer for Scout Motors, acknowledged at a roundtable discussion after the signing ceremony that many of the plans for the project are still in the earliest stages. Designs and plans for the new plant are still on the drawing board, he said, as are final designs for the vehicles the plant will produce. Company officials estimate the new design will be ready for unveiling sometime in 2024.

Company officials also have to make a decision about what type of battery the vehicles will use and who will manufacture it, although they have indicated that they hope to use one made by a U.S. manufacturer.

Another factor Scout officials are still wrestling with is how to raise awareness of the Scout brand. The original Scout vehicles are described as the predecessors to today’s SUVs and reached the height of their popularity in the 1960s and ‘70s. Baby boomers and Gen Xers may remember the brand, but there will

be a need to raise enthusiasm among millennials, Gen Z and even younger consumers who weren’t around during Scout’s heyday and also are the target drivers for the upcoming pivot to EV technology on the roads.

Keogh believes the company will succeed by promoting an iconic American brand form the past that now is being revitalized to embrace the technology of the future.

“What we like about revitalizing this brand is its classic American roots,” Keogh told SC Biz News. “We’re modifying these classic cars and will be promoting them coast to coast. These are going to be rugged vehicles that will appeal to the SUV and pickup truck segments of the market. They will have appeal to the people who like vehicles like the Toyota 4 Runner and the Ford Bronco.”

Another important factor to consider, of course, is price. The high price of many EVs has been cited as one of the reasons U.S. drivers have been slower than others overseas to adopt the new technology. Scout officials have estimated that the vehicles will sell for about $40,000, far less than many other EVs and the same price point as many of the higher-end internal combustion trucks and SUVs currently on the market.

“We need to make sure we hit a price point that makes these vehicles approachable for consumers,” Keogh said. “Strong brands have a universal appeal in this country, and we believe Scout is capable one of those brands.”

NAVIGATING CHANGE: Supply chain

Receiving and exporting goods is the lifeblood of South Carolina’s economy. In the May/June issue of SCBIZ Magazine, key industry stakeholders reveal how the Palmetto State, on the heels of a record 2022 at SC Ports, is navigating global supply chain challenges with homegrown innovation to carry South Carolina into the future.

Aiken County will be in the Spotlight, along with a Power List of Logistics and lists of 3PL and warehouse services.. Don’t miss this opportunity to promote your brand to 80,000+ high-level business executives and site selectors.

The new Scout brought some classics from the nameplate’s original iteration. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

Gov. Henry McMaster met with officials from Scout Motors Inc. to sign legislation and a performance agreement cementing the EV startup’s $2B investment in Richland County. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

IT Services & Networking Companies

Ranked by No. of Employees in the Columbia Area

DP Professionals Inc. 3741 Landmark Drive, Suite 200 Columbia, SC 29204

Training Concepts 250 Berr

Blau, Chris Dickenson

IT, Copiers, Printers, Phone Systems, Physical Security/Access Controls

DPP, a full-ser vice IT staffing and recruiting firm, specializes in the placement of highly qualified Information Technology professionals in both contingent and direct hire opportunities DPP is a certified Woman-owned Business Enterprise (WBE)

information architecture; accessibility consulting, web and mobile application development

Reliable Technology Solutions LLC 104 Saluda Ridge Court West Columbia, SC 29169

C.O.W. Communications LLC 1319 St. Andrews Road Columbia, SC 29210

ResolvIT SC LLC 305 Deliesseline Drive Cayce, SC 29033

Silicon Solutions LLC 3121 Millwood Ave., Suite C Columbia, SC 29205

Capital Network Consultants, Inc. 1800 St. Julian Place, Suite 301D Columbia, SC 29204-2417

T&S Consulting LLC

109 Fairlawn Court Columbia, SC 29203

IntelliSystems 111 Executive Center Drive, Suite 202 Columbia, SC 29210

803-451-2997 www.reliabletechsc.com sales@reliabletechsc.com

Tim Christensen 2010 9 Y IT security and maintenance, video sur veillance, business telephone systems, low voltage wiring

803-798-0025 www.cowcomm.com cowcomm@aol.com Carl Woody Matt Linton 1996 5 Y

803-467-3263 www.resolviterp.com mburt@resolvitsc.com Mark C. Burt 2007

803-765-2345 www.siliconsolutions.com support@siliconsolutions.com

803-738-1007 capnetinc.com info@capnetinc.com

803-798-3000 www.t-s-consulting.com stone@t-s-consulting.com

803-563-6363 www.intellisystems.com info@intellisystems.com

Business telephone systems, Security camera systems, computer and telephone wiring-VOIP phone system sales

Business enterprise application software; SAP portfolio partner offering businessone, all-in-one and business-by-design available on demand

Jason Wilson, Melba Cannon 1997 4 Y sales and ser vice of pc and mac Small business and residential support Retail sales floor with DIY parts and new and refurbished pc and macs

Tim McLeod 1997

3 Y

Managed IT Ser vices, Cyber Security Consulting, IT Project Planning and Implementation

Charles Greene, Ken Stone, Brenda Wiggins 1991 3 Y

Church management systems, day care and child development systems, network and system integration, custom software development, Project Management Institute-certified project managers

Cassy Stringfield 1993 2 Y

Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. Although ever y effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to listresearch@Bridgetowermedia.com.

Support Columbia and surrounding areas; local provider of managed IT ser vices, cybersecurity, telecommunication, cabling and wireless contracting, cloud ser vices, backup and disaster recover y; free consultations

Security System Providers

Amarok LLC

550 Assembly St. Columbia, South Carolina, 29201

Phone: 803-786-6333

Website/Email: www.amarok.com/ sales@amarok.com

Top Local Of cial(s): Nathan Leaphart, Mark Wesley, Mike Dorrington

Year Founded: 1991

Employees: 211

Commercial Work Performed: 100% Security Systems Offered: CCTV, IP video surveillance, access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, design and consulting, installation, monitoring, perimeter security, service and repair, system integration, wireless cameras

Connectivity Point Design & Installation

400 Northeast Drive, Suite A Columbia, South Carolina, 29203

Phone: 866-782-0200

Website/Email: www.connectivitypoint.com/info@connectivitypoint. com

Top Local Of cial(s): Doug Watt, James Cyr

Year Founded: 2002

Employees: 29

Commercial Work Performed:

100% Security Systems Offered: CCTV, IP video surveillance, access control, burglar alarm and detection, design and consulting, emergency noti cation, equipment sales, installation, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, service and repair, system integration, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras

Sonitrol Security Systems of the Midlands Inc.

1545 Burnette Drive

Columbia, South Carolina, 29210

Phone: 803-794-4357

Website/Email: www.sonitrolsc.com

Top Local Of cial(s): Michael Rama

Year Founded: 1978

Employees: 20

Commercial Work Performed: 70% Security Services Offered: CCTV, IP video surveillance, UL certi cation, access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, design and

consulting, emergency noti cation, equipment sales, re alarm and detection, ood alarm and detection, installation, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, phone backup, service and repair, system integration, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras

Carolina Wiring Service LLC

1366 Rosewood Drive

Columbia, South Carolina, 29201

Phone: 803-748-9473

Website/Email: www.wiredbycws. com/info@wiredbycws.com

Top Local Of cial(s): Troy Stone, Ronald G. Palyok

Year Founded: 1990

Employees: 10

Commercial Work Performed: 50% Security Systems Offered: CCTV, access control, burglar alarm and detection, design and consulting, re alarm and detection, installation, low-voltage systems, monitoring, perimeter security, service and repair, system integration, wireless cameras

Bank & Business Systems Inc.

152 Woodcraft Drive Lexington, South Carolina, 29073

Phone: 803-356-0558

Website/Email: reginaldrws@aol.com

Top Local Of cial(s): Reginald W. Smith, Roy W. Smith

Year Founded: 1960

Employees: 6

Commercial Work Performed: 99%

Security Systems Offered: CCTV, IP video surveillance, access control, burglar alarm and detection, emergency noti cation, equipment sales, re alarm and detection, installation, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, service and repair, voicebased evacuation, wireless cameras

A3 Communications Inc.

1038 Kinley Road, Building B

Irmo, South Carolina, 29063 Phone: 803-744-5000

Website/Email: www.a3communications. com/sales@a3communications.com

Top Local Of cial(s): Dave Lewis,

Brian Thomas

Year Founded: 1990

Security Systems Offered: CCTV, IP video surveillance, access control, design and consulting, emergency noti cation, equipment sales, installation, low-voltage systems, perimeter security, service and repair, system integration, wireless cameras

Carolina Time Equipment

667 Woodstock Lane

Camden, South Carolina, 29020 Phone: 803-254-4745

Website/Email: www.carolinatime. net/info@carolinatime.net

Top Local Of cial(s): Debra Jones

Security Systems Offered: IP video surveillance, access control, wireless cameras, service and repair, monitoring, installation, design and consulting

Johnson Controls Inc.

14 Woodcross Drive

Columbia, South Carolina, 29212 Phone: 803-781-7642

Website/Email: www.johnsoncontrols.com

Top Local Of cial(s): George Oliver

Year Founded: 1885

Security Services Provided: CCTV, IP video surveillance, UL certi cation, access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, design and consulting, emergency noti cation, equipment sales, re alarm and detection, ood alarm and detection, installation, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, phone backup, service and repair, system integration, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras

Legends Security & Sound Inc.

120 N. Brickyard Road

Columbia, South Carolina, 29223 Phone: 803-788-1299

Website/Email: www.legendssecurity.com/contact@legendssecurity.com

Year Founded: 1994

Security Systems Offered: CCTV, IP video surveillance, access control, biometrics, burglar alarm and detection, design and consulting, emergency noti cation, equipment

sales, re alarm and detection, ood alarm and detection, installation, locks, safes, vaults, low-voltage systems, medical and call systems, monitoring, perimeter security, phone backup, service and repair, system integration, voice-based evacuation, wireless cameras

QEI Security & Technology

239 Swartz Road

Lexington, South Carolina, 29072 Phone: 843-994-2016

Website/Email: www.qeisecurity. com/information@qeisecurity.com

Top Local Of cial(s): Chad Sanders

Security Services Offered: Burglar alarm and detection, wireless cameras, monitoring, re alarm and detection, emergency noti cation

Statewide Security Systems Inc.

6005 Two Notch Road

Columbia, South Carolina, 29223 Phone: 803-782-7777

Website/Email: www.securityresults.com

Top Local Of cial(s): Carey W. Shealy

Year Founded: 1977

Security Systems Offered: Access control, re alarm and detection, emergency noti cation, wireless cameras, monitoring, burglar alarm and detection

Weaver Systems Inc. 104 N. Shorecrest Road

Columbia, South Carolina, 29209 Phone: 803-776-6262

Website/Email: www.weaversystems.net/weaversystems@sc.rr.com

Top Local Of cial(s): Eddie Weaver

Security Systems Offered: Monitoring, re alarm and detection, ood alarm and detection, emergency noti cation, wireless cameras, burglar alarm and detection, installation

At Work

PEOPLE, PLACES AND HAPPENINGS ACROSS THE MIDLANDS

Ford named vice president for AT&T South Carolina

Staff Report

AT&T has named Terrance Ford vice president of External Affairs for AT&T South Carolina, where he will lead the company’s strategy, legislative, philanthropic and external affairs activities in the state, as well as guide governmental and community policy decisions. He succeeds Jane Sosebee, who recently announced her retirement after a four-decade career with AT&T.

“Terrance will do a tremendous job leading AT&T’s external, legislative and philanthropic efforts in South Carolina,” Venessa Harrison, president of AT&T Southeast Coastal States, said in a news release. “His industry experience, public

People in the News

ART

The Columbia Museum of Art presented its 2022 John Richard Craft Leadership Award to volunteer and community advocate Ann Holtschlag. Board president Cathy Love and museum Executive Director Della Watkins presented the award at an appreciation dinner. The Craft Award, named for the museum’s first director, is the highest honor the museum bestows.

CONSTRUCTION

Daniel Mosher is now a project manager with Goodwyn Mills Cawood. His primary focus is water and wastewater projects. Mosher has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of South Carolina, a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Buffalo, and an associate of science from Midlands Technical College. He is a licensed professional engineer in South Carolina.

The new senior project manager in HNTB’s Carolinas office is Joy Riley. For the past 13 years, Riley was a senior engineering project manager with the South Carolina Department of Transportation,

policy expertise and community leadership will serve our customers, employees and stakeholders across the Palmetto State well.”

Ford began his telecommunications career 23 years ago as an electronics technician in the AT&T Network Organization. In 2005, Ford was promoted into management and moved through the ranks, eventually leading the installation and maintenance of advanced services, such as high-speed broadband, across the state. Ford’s increased responsibilities led him to the External Affairs organization

where he served as the External Affairs regional director in the Upstate, leading the company’s economic development and community affairs activities. Prior to his role as vice president of External Affairs, Ford was the director of External and Legislative Affairs, serving as the primary liaison with state policymakers.

“I’m proud to lead AT&T’s external affairs team in South Carolina as we continue to develop innovative ways to better serve our customers and the communities we serve,” Ford said in the news release. “AT&T has been investing in South Carolina communities for more than 140 years, and I look forward to continuing our efforts to help close the digital divide, supporting our public safety community

through FirstNet, Built with AT&T and connecting more South Carolinians.”

In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Ford is active in community affairs. He serves on the boards of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, the Central South Carolina Alliance, the South Carolina Technology and Aviation Center, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, the Central Carolina Community Foundation, the United Way of the Midlands, the Columbia Urban League and the Midlands Business Leadership Group.

A native of the Charleston area, Ford has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Webster University. Ford resides in Blythewood with his wife and their children.

most recently working as project director for the I-526 Lowcountry Corridor Project, and is president of the WTS South Carolina chapter. She is a licensed professional engineer, project management professional, design build professional, and a certified public manager. A Clemson University graduate, Riley has a Bachelor of Science in Biosystems Engineering.

Eric R. Sosa has joined GMK Associates’ design-build division as a construction project manager. Sosa has 23 years of experience, primarily in U.S. Department of Defense facility programs, engineering operations, and other operational services, including construction and operational efforts both stateside and internationally. He served as program manager, Qatar, Al Jabar, and Housing, and as division chief, civil engineer operations & readiness (senior program manager) with the installations directorate, Headquarters Air Forces Central Command, at Shaw AFB. Sosa has a bachelor of science degree in civil engineering from the United States Air Force Academy.

Berenyi recently hired Michael Young to oversee a range of construction projects, including complex foundational concrete work. He is currently the superintendent on a concrete construction project in Cayce. Young is a graduate of Sumter’s Lakewood High School.

Carroll Daniel Construction Co. has hired Chris Berryman as a senior business developer. He will focus on broadening the reach and deepening the level of services the company provides to clients in the automotive mobility technologies (EV), advanced manufacturing and industrial market sectors. He will represent Carroll Daniel in the U.S. Mid-South Region and will play a pivotal role in the sustainable growth of the business, diversifying the company’s portfolio, and accommodating the construction needs the region is experiencing due to economic growth. Berryman joins Carroll Daniel after nearly 20 years working in economic development for the Tennessee Valley Authority, where he served its seven-state region. His focus at TVA was to recruit new automotive OEM and supplier investments. Berryman is a graduate of the University of Tennessee, where he earned two bachelor’s degrees, one in biology and the other in natural resource management, as well as a master’s degree in environmental policy and economics. He is also a graduate of the National Development Council, earning certification as an economic development finance professional.

DESIGN

Stefanie Hauser is now marketing coordinator at Quackenbush Architects + Planners. A graduate of Appalachian State University who holds a bachelor of fine arts in graphic design, Hauser has created and managed the development of designs for print publications, book designs, logo and

brand designs, direct mail pieces, and other marketing materials for a variety of businesses and nonprofits. She also is co-founder of Indah Coffee Company. At Quackenbush Hauser is developing marketing initiatives and using her architectural drafting skills to assist on team projects.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

New to Southern First Bancshares is Steve Hunter, team leader and senior vice president. Hunter joins Southern First with more than 25 years in banking. Most recently, he served as a business banker and vice president at Truist, formerly BB&T, where he spent 22 years. Hunter began his career after graduating from Lander University with a bachelor of business administration. He later completed Banking School at Wake Forest University.

CULINARY SERVICES

The three chefs selected for Team Lake Murray Country at the Taste of Lake Murray are Maegan Horton, Cody Ross, and Chris Williams. The event is the South Carolina super regional qualifier event for the

Ford

Holtschlag

Mosher

Sosa

Berryman

Hauser

Hunter

World Food Championships. The team will represent the state at the 11th annual Ultimate Food Fight, scheduled for Nov. 8-12 in Dallas. Horton is executive chef of Blue Marlin Restaurant; Ross, the qualifier’s People’s Choice Winner, is with Smoked; and Williams is owner and chef of Roy’s Grille & BBQ and South Carolina Chef Ambassador Team Lake Murray Country 2022: #5 Best Sandwich in the World.

GOVERNMENT SERVICES

Columbia City councilwoman Aditi Bussells has been appointed to be the National League of Cities’ board liaison to the Women In Municipal Government Constituency Group for 2023. Bussells was elected to

the National League of Cities board of Directors in November 2022.  During her two-year term, she will provide strategic direction and guidance for the group’s federal advocacy, governance, and membership activities.

LAW

Matthew B. Hill has joined Robinson Gray as a member. His practice focuses primarily on commercial real estate, banking, and finance. In addition to property owners and developers, his clients include national and regional banks that provide credit facilities for the various stages of development. Matt also works with national and local landlords and tenants on multi- and single-tenant leases for industrial and commercial facilities. He was honored as Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year in Columbia for 2023 in the area of banking and finance law. He has been named among Columbia Business Monthly’s Legal Elite of the Midlands and is AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell. Hill received his bachelor’s in psychology from Davidson College and his juris doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law.

MARKETING AN PUBLIC RELATIONS

Debi Schadel has joined the board of directors of the South Carolina Small Business Chamber of Commerce. Schadel, chief

operating officer and co-founding partner of Flock and Rally, has been honored as one of Columbia Business Monthly magazine’s 50 Most Influential, Free Times’ Power List, and Columbia Regional Business Report’s Women to Watch. Along with an undergraduate degree in sociology from the State University of New York, Fredonia, she holds a master of real estate development from Clemson University and a master of science in geographic information systems from the University of South Carolina.

First Tuesday Strategies has brought in Hunter Sox as director of public affairs and promoted Nick Murray to vice president of business development and Angela McCallum to managing director. Previously, Sox was the legislative initiatives coordinator for the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health and worked for the South Carolina House of Representatives. In 2021, he was elected to a city council seat in Cayce. Murray, who has been developing public affairs campaigns, joined the company in 2021 with nearly a decade of experience in public relations, issues management, and corporate communications. McCallum now oversees all company projects across its political and corporate divisions. She joined First Tuesday Strategies in 2021 following stints at the White House and National Republican Senatorial Committee. In 2022, she served as de facto campaign manager for over a dozen winning Republican primary candidates.

REAL ESTATE

William Mills and Jake Nidiffer and Braden Shockley

New senior brokers at Trinity Partners Columbia are William Mills, Jake Nidiffer, and Braden Shockley

Nidiffer and Shockley joined Trinity Partners upon the inception of the Columbia office in 2018. Mills joined Trinity Partners in 2019. With more than 10 years of experience in commercial real estate, Mills specializes in the leasing and sales of single and multitenant retail properties, site selection, tenant representation, retail development, and representing institutional owners of shopping centers throughout South Carolina. He is an active member of the International Council of Shopping Centers. Nidiffer represents tenants and landlords of the industrial and flex products in the state. Shockley focuses on office and medical investment sales and leasing across Columbia and the region; he is a graduate of the Columbia Chamber’s Leadership Columbia Class of 2020 for emerging community leaders.

SOUTH CAROLINA PORTS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

PEOPLE, from Page 20

Hill

Bussells

Schadel

Mills Nidiffer

Shockley

Horton Ross

Williams

transmitting large amounts of power over long distances under some of the most grueling conditions imaginable.

“These cables have to be able to withstand the high pressures of the ocean floor and very cold temperatures,” he said. “They also have to withstand not just physical damage from anchors or fishing trawlers, but just shear saltwater degradation. The products we put in these cables have to be very, very specific and meet high tech specifications to withstand that type of environment.”

Nexans in Charleston produces subsea cable both for the relatively shallow depths planned for the U.S. market and much deeper projects in other locations around the world.

“These are what we call high voltage or extra high voltage cables, carrying anywhere from 69,000 volts all

the way up to 525,000 volts,” Boan said. “We’re talking about the transition of very large amounts of power from that generating source offshore. We harness that power and bring it all back to shore.”

Cables for projects like South Fork start with raw copper rods sourced from a facility in Canada and also include aluminum conductors and other raw materials. Each cable is built from scratch at the Charleston facilities using specialized, state-of-the-art machinery.

Bringing energy from miles offshore naturally demands an awful lot of cable. The South Fork project, for instance, demanded Charleston’s workers to produce 65 miles of cable.

The intricacy of the work involved plus the magnitude of materials required means that completing work for a wind farm client isn’t something that can be done in a few weeks.

“Depending on the size of the cable, it takes six months to a year just to make the cable for one project,” Boan said. “One reason is the long length of the cable involved, and the other is the meticulous technical process to make sure the product is high quality and can last in a rough environment.”

Production of components for wind energy — and the supplies for that production — are both up-and-coming industries in the United States, so Nexans in Charleston has had to rely on suppliers from overseas for much of its material and equipment. Boan said the pandemic and events like the war in Ukraine have caused some delays, but overall good planning on the part of Nexans’ leadership has enabled the Charleston plant to meet most of its production deadlines.

Another challenge exists in training workers for an industry that is still in its fledgling stages in the Unite States.

Boan said employees in Charleston have benefited from extensive internal training by workers from Nexans’ European cable plants. The number of workers needed at the Charleston plant will also likely grow in the future as the demand for its cable products increases.

South Fork Wind is not the only large project Nexans is tackling right now. The plant recently started some production work for 100 miles worth of cable for a much bigger project for the Northeast region — the 700-megawatt Revolution Wind project that eventually will power up to 450,000 homes in Connecticut and Rhode Island. Boan said the company’s work for Revolution will take about 10 months to complete, with delivery expected in 2024.

“We take a lot of pride here that we’re not only a big part of the green initiative here in the U.S., but that we’re a leader in this industry in North America,” Boan said.

Office building on Columbia’s Devine Street sells for $950K

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

An office building and adjacent residential building in Columbia’s growing Devine Street district recently sold for $950,000.

Nick Stomski and Jake Nidiffer of

Trinity Partners Columbia facilitated the sale of 3112 Devine St. and 621 Amherst Ave, according to a news release.

They represented the seller, 3112 Devine Street Associates LLC doing business as F&ME Consultants. Aaron Dupree of CBRE represented the buyer.

The sale included a 7,900-square-

foot, three-story office building and adjacent 1,800-square-foot residence. The property will undergo extensive renovations before the purchaser moves in, according to the news release. Once rezoning is approved, improvements will include tearing down the residential structure to create parking for the building and a full

building renovation.

The transaction was part of a complex four-property sale and disposition to enable F&ME Consultants to consolidate into one building, according to the release. The company will move into a site at 211 Business Park Blvd. after massive renovations led by Cohn Corp. are completed.

NEXANS CABLE, from Page 8

Extensive renovations will be coming to the structures on Devine St. and Amherst Ave.

Viewpoint

VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS

Growth in high-tech sectors present more opportunities for diversity

South Carolina is making strong progress in positioning itself as a national leader in the emerging technology industry. Much of the industry growth is concentrated in the Lowcountry, bringing a multitude of economic benefits across the coast.

However, the benefits of embracing technology as a driver of jobs and the economy can be seen across the state.

The Charleston-North Charleston metro area has one of the fastest growing high-tech sectors in America. Charleston’s Digital Corridor released its annual wage and job growth survey in November with overall positive news, including 60% of companies reporting added jobs in 2022 and 100% expected to continue hiring into 2023.

Spartanburg will see millions in eco-

nomic benefit from a new multi-million-dollar data center. And the $810 million investment by Envision AESC in Florence that Gov. Henry McMaster highlighted in his State of the States address will employ over 1,000 residents. Indeed, South Carolina’s tech industry is booming, and our state has a unique opportunity to continue welcoming businesses that will bring good paying jobs and economic investments.

However, some members of Congress have been deliberating anti-innovation proposals that would harm the tech industry and restrict its ability to grow in states like South Carolina. In response, I call upon every member of the U.S. House and Senate who represents South Carolina to think twice before supporting legislation that could inhibit our continued prosperity.

In thinking about all states that embraced tech as a driver of prosperity, this call is especially poignant for South Carolina. Just like other states, much of the growth South Carolina has seen can be credited to the innovation that

derived from the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology advancements allowed our residents to continue to maintain lucrative jobs during one of the most uncertain times in history.

South Carolina, however, also has the opportunity to help the tech sector increase its ability to drive innovation by injecting more diversity into the jobs pipeline. For example, Black employees make up just 7.4% of the tech workforce and with nearly 60% of the Black labor force living in the South, tech companies that continue to settle in the Lowcountry and across South Carolina have the opportunity to increase that number by recruiting and retaining employees whose unique lived experience will also bring new ideas, foster greater innovation and contribute to further economic prosperity.

State Treasurer Curtis Loftis recently sent a letter to the South Carolina Emerging Technology Association stating that our state has “an opportunity to increase its stature as a world leader in manufacturing, logistics, cybersecurity,

identity and finance as an early mover; therefore, making our citizens the beneficiaries of the exceptional growth and economic development opportunities” that the tech industry is creating.

U.S. policymakers, especially those who represent South Carolina, must make decisions on policies that will protect — not stifle — the tech sectors ability to thrive and continue driving South Carolina’s exceptional economic growth and jobs pipeline that employs more and more of our citizens.

S.C. Rep. Marvin R. Pendarvis is a Democrat representing District 113 in Charleston County. An attorney with Pendarvis Law LLC, he services on the General Assembly’s Legislative Oversight Committee.

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