A manufacturer of electric power cables is expanding its Orangeburg operations in an effort to meet customer demand.
The Okonite Co. will invest $19.5 million and create at least 12 new jobs as part of the expansion, the company announced in December.
“This expansion will give the Okonite Co. additional capacity to allow for incremental increases in future business conditions," Tom Sanchez, Orangeburg plant manager, stated in a press release.
Along with adding one new insulating line and two new rewind packing lines, the company will be expanding its rewind building by 12,600 square feet and its manufacturing building by 49,000 square feet.
The project is expected to be completed in October 2016.
The result will be increased capacity and higher efficiency the company said.
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The Okonite plant, which employs about 220, is situated on 122 acres at 2276 Rowesville Road.
At its Orangeburg plant, the company makes power cables that range from 300 volts to 345 kilovolts, including instrumentation, power and control, medium voltage and high voltage cables.
The cables are manufactured with a variety of insulating and jacketing materials including Okoguard EPR, laminated polypropylene paper and other thermosetting and thermoplastic compounds.
The Okonite plant, which located in Orangeburg in 1993, has grown to more 650,000 square feet at the Orangeburg County Industrial Park.
Orangeburg County Council approved development incentives that will allow for the company's expansion.
"Orangeburg County and Okonite are both striving to provide the citizens of Orangeburg County a better life by creating quality jobs," Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright said. "With a great company like Okonite, Orangeburg County is destined to have many more great days."
Wright added, “We are truly grateful for Okonite’s investment in our community and are very thankful this time of year that they are part of the fabric of our community.”
Orangeburg Mayor Michael Butler said, "Companies of this stature are the backbone of America, and we are truly appreciative to be a part of their continued growth."
Headquartered in Ramsey, New Jersey, Okonite calls itself America’s oldest independent wire and cable manufacturer, with a history of more than 133 years of service to the electric industry.
The Orangeburg expansion is one of three the company is undertaking. The other expansions are occurring at its California and Kentucky plants. Okonite also has manufacturing plants in New Jersey and Rhode Island.
