Fall 2013
Brewing industry S. C. beer makers help craft favorable laws Jaime Tenny and husband, David Merritt, co-owners of COAST Brewing in North Charleston.
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Economic Development in S.C. | Special Section: Cities Mean Business | S.C. Delivers
county spotlight
Florence
Johnson Controls’ new automotive battery recycling center added 250 jobs.
Florence County Global reach with a Southern touch
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lorence County is thriving as a commerce hub for the southeastern United States due to its strategic location and pro-business mindset. Located at the junction of I-95 and I-20, halfway between New York City and Miami, this dynamic county is being touted as one of America’s top areas for business relocation and expansion. “More and more, companies are realizing the benefits to locating or expanding not only in South Carolina, but particularly in Florence County,” says Frank J. “Buddy” Brand, Florence County Economic Development Partnership chairman. “Our strategic location, our ready workforce and training Special Advertising Section
Florence County demographics: Florence County population ..... 137,948 South Carolina population .... 4,723,723 Average growth.................. ......... 0.8% Labor force (civilian popu 16 years and older).............lation ........62.1% People Per Square Mile.. ..............171.1 Land Area in Square Miles ..... 799.96 2012 estimates provided by the U.S. Census Bureau (2013)
County Spotlight: FLORENCE
The Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SiMT) trains workers from all over the Southeast in engineering, CADCAM, rapid prototyping and 3D/virtual reality.
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programs, plus a well known pro-business climate make Florence an ideal location in addition to us being well suited for advanced industrial manufacturing, food processing, distribution and call centers.” The Florence County Economic Development team provides an array of strategic quality services to new and expanding clients with the utmost in confidentiality. Today the county is a major hub for both industry and infrastructure and a regional center for business, medicine, culture and finance. With some of the lowest property taxes in the state, a well-trained workforce and diversified economy, Florence County is moving all types of industries forward. So far in 2013, Florence County has released seven new business announcements with more on the horizon. The county’s incentives for development include a number of statutory, discretionary and individualized programs such as multiyear exemptions for corporate, state and local sales taxes, job development and employee retraining credits, property and fees-in-lieu and other customized incentives. “Economic development in Florence County is about teamwork. We are committed to creating quality jobs, no matter the industry,” says Joe W. King, executive director, Florence County Economic Development. “Our strong network of partners remains steadfast in helping us achieve continued success.” For example, in 2008 Florence County and the state of South Carolina announced that the Heinz Co. would locate its manu-
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facturing operations on a 49-acre site in the Pee Dee Commerce City Park in Florence. Today the plant manufactures frozen food products at the new facility to meet increased customer demand and support the company’s southeast and northeast distribution centers. Heinz utilizes the readySC worker training program, which continues to be nationally recognized for its ability to offer customized training for businesses. Founded as a railroad hub that later became the junction of three major railroad systems, the city of Florence was named after the daughter of its founder, Gen. W.W. Harllee, a celebrated businessman and president of the Wilmington to Manchester Railroad who had relocated to the area. After the Civil War, the Northeastern Railroad was the primary regional employer, and Florence grew around the transport of tobacco and other agricultural products from the surrounding Pee Dee River Basin. In 1888, the S.C. General Assembly created the County of Florence, encompassing the towns of Timmonsville, Coward, and Lake City with the town of Florence as its county seat. Two years later, the City of Florence was incorporated. Florence County is home to a number of training programs that serve as a foundation to its widespread economic development and business community. Programs like readySC provide customized training for new and expanding businesses and industry in Florence County and across the state. With worker training provided at little or
County Spotlight: FLORENCE
Gov. Nikki Haley attended Honda’s announcement of a new production line at the Florence plant.
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no cost to qualifying companies, readySC promotes the economic and workforce development of the state by helping companies afford to grow. Employers find that readySC provides the recruiting and training assistance they need to get up and running. In addition, SC Works online services link all of South Carolina’s state and local workforce services and resources on the web for easy and effective job hiring. The partners in this informative venture are the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce and South Carolina’s 12 Workforce Investment Boards. The Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SiMT) serves as the premier technical service and training provider for industry in the southeastern United States. In its state-of-the-art facilities, located on a 146-acre campus in Florence, SiMT provides engineering, CADCAM, rapid prototyping and 3D/virtual reality training in addition to leadingedge manufacturing workforce development and business training. All in all, Florence County offers a backbone of services to finding, training and growing companies in the area. Florence County’s commitment to excellence has won many friends in the international business community, including ABB, G.E., Honda, OTIS Elevator, Monster, QVC, Roche and several others. The labor force is bolstered by seven technical colSee FLORENCE COUNTY, Page 16 Special Advertising Section
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County Spotlight: FLORENCE FLORENCE COUNTY, from page 13
2013 announcements to date:
leges in a 60-mile radius with enrollments exceeding 12,000 students annually; these programs have historically generated a 17:1 ratio of applicants per opening, meaning quality applicants are plentiful. A prime example of how Florence County works with Commerce is illustrated in the 2008 announcement by Monster.com to expand to the region. Representatives from the Florence County Economic Development Partnership, the S.C. Department of Commerce and Red Rock Developments celebrated the grand opening of Monster’s customer service center. Monster is the leading global online career and recruitment resource and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide Inc. Developed by Red Rock Developments and located in a 75,000-square-foot building at 2701 Alex Lee Blvd., Monster.com® currently employs about 150 full-time workers and has planned for ability to grow its staff. Before its facility was completed, Monster started in a temporary location in Florence in October 2008. The company has been recruiting talent and conducting training ever since the initial announcement in June 2008. “Moving some parts of our business from overseas to Florence, S.C., was an investment Monster continues to be very pleased with given our performance. Since our initial establishment of operations in Florence, we have expanded our footprint to include higher levels of customer support as well as a growing sales team. We con-
ICE Recycling LLC: Facility expansion Investment: $1.05 million investment Potential job creation: 15+
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Monster.com, which announced its plans for Florence County in 2008, employs about 150 full-time workers in a 75,000-square-foot service center.
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Wellman Plastics and Recycling: Facility expansion Investment: $5.5 million Potential job creation: 50+ GE Healthcare: New facility Investment: $17 million Potential job creation: 50+ Duke Energy Progress: Industrial development Site ready property development Angus-Palm: Facility expansion Investment: $13 million Potential job creation: 55 HONDA: New production line Investment: $27 million Potential job creation: 65+ Caliber Funding: New facility Potential job creation: 100+ tinue to be impressed with the capability of the workforce,” says Jeremy Curley, site director, Florence, S.C., Monster Worldwide. “We are proud to be members of the Florence business community and the continued investment in our Florence operations is an integral part of our business strategy.” Other prime examples of public/private partnerships at work include the Florence Recycling Center, where Johnson Controls opened its center for automotive battery recycling in 2012. The facility expands
Johnson Controls’ presence in Florence with a capital investment of more than $150 million, representing 250 new jobs, and 1,000 indirect jobs in the area. Currently, 200 employees are working onsite as the facility continues to improve its production, with approximately 132,000 metric tons per year or the equivalent of more than 14 million automotive batteries recycled. OTIS Elevator, having purchased the former Maytag facility, houses manufacturing, engineering, contract logistics and field support in the 423,000-square-foot space. This facility allows OTIS to enhance customer support and product development for use in manufacturing its state-of-theart elevators in a single U.S. location. The new location supports OTIS’ commitment to innovative technology and world-class manufacturing under an umbrella of environmentally sound operations. The quality of life in Florence County flourishes both in the business community and culturally, too. Just recently, Florence’s downtown revitalization efforts earned the coveted Economic Development Award from the Municipal Association of South Carolina. Based on Florence’s application, the city’s public sector investments led to significant growth with Francis Marion University’s $37 million Performing Arts Center. The PAC serves as a main anchor for much of downtown Florence’s cultural activities. Other private sector projects such as the Hotel Florence and other business newcomers have prospered through the city and
County Spotlight: FLORENCE Francis Marion University’s $37 million Performing Arts Center is a big draw for Florence’s downtown area.
county’s investment in the cultural arts as an economic tool. The business community enjoys restaurants such as Victor’s Bistro and others that are thriving while office and retail space is being redeveloped for new and existing tenants. “The addition of the Francis Marion Performing Arts Center illustrates how a successful downtown redevelopment plan can bring residents and visitors to a city
Victor’s Bistro is among downtown restaurants enjoying an uptick in business as nearby offices and retail spaces fill up.
center to enjoy all of the cultural amenities of a hometown,” says Miriam Hair, executive director of the Municipal Association of South Carolina. In terms of higher education, Florence County is home to an array of educational opportunities to support industry and overall personal growth. Francis Marion University, with an enrollment of 4,200, is the only state university in the Pee Dee
region. Florence-Darlington Technical College is a two-year community college and part of the South Carolina Technical College System. Established in 1963, FlorenceDarlington Tech has an enrollment exceeding 6,000 students. Coker College in Hartsville, about 20 minutes from Florence, is a private, co-ed four-year liberal arts school that emphasizes small classes and a practical application
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County Spotlight: FLORENCE
of the liberal arts with a discussion-based learning system. Coker College was ranked among the “Best Colleges” in the South by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review. Nearby, Coastal Carolina University in Conway is home to 9,300 students and offers a far-reaching liberal arts education. The new Virginia College is enrolling students within a fast-track curriculum for success in the growing fields of business and health and medical support. Another important secret to Florence County’s success is found in the excellent health care services, including an impressive array of medical specialists through both the McLeod Regional Medical Center and Carolinas Hospital systems. Newcomers find that the county’s industrial parks can efficiently accommodate growth. Pee Dee Commerce City, the Fox Building and the White Hawk Site are popular for multi-use business headquarters and easy expansion. Aside from direct interstate access to the entire Southeast region, the Florence business community enjoys daily flights to Charlotte, N.C. A major domestic and international travel hub, Charlotte is the southeastern United States’ gateway to doing business in the Carolinas. All-in-all, Florence County continues to gain the respect of not only local, regional and Fortune 500 corporations but has found itself on the map for multinational companies looking for a tax-friendly, pro-business environment. Through a commitment with the state of South Carolina, this county is showing the rest of the state how to bring industry to a region, nurture it and, ultimately, allow it to succeed.
For more information on Florence County contact: Florence County Economic Development Partnership www.fcedp.com, (800) 984-0682 www.scbizmag.com
County of Florence, South Carolina www.florencecounty.org readysc, www.readysc.org SCWorks, www.scworks.org SiMT, www.simt.com Special Advertising Section
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