Existing, new industries drive progress in Calhoun, Bamberg

Calhoun County

Along with agriculture, industrial development has always been a key component of Calhoun County's success.

"Calhoun County has progressed amazingly well in economic development over the years, particularly for a small, rural South Carolina county," Calhoun County Development Commission Executive Director Pat Black said. "With the previous 25 years as a prelude, Calhoun County has welcomed and announced more than a half dozen either new companies or expansions of existing companies over the past year."

Industries making announcements in Calhoun County in the past year were:

• Devro Inc. cut the ribbon on its expanded $74 million Old Swamp Road operations to facilitate the company’s growth strategy.

The company, headquartered in Scotland, is operating four new production lines at the plant.

Based on market growth, Devro will have the possibility of expanding to 12 lines.

No new jobs were created, but the investment is expected to increase production efficiency. The Sandy Run plant employs approximately 235.

The new equipment could save the company about $14 million annually, company officials say.

• Cypress Creek Renewables, a company that specializes in the ownership and development of long-term solar energy projects, plans to invest $34 million in three new solar energy facilities in the county.

In St. Matthews, Cypress is constructing a 10-megawatt facility off of Preference Road. In Cameron, the company is constructing a four-megawatt facility and a 20-megawatt facility off of Cameron Road.

The projects aren’t expected to create permanent jobs.

• Silver Springs Water Co., which purchased Hickory Springs Water Co., announced in February it is bringing 37 new jobs to the county and investing $16.3 million.

Approximately $2 million of the investment is for the purchase of an existing building and land.

• Thermo King Columbia cut the ribbon in October on its new facility to outfit trailers and prepare various companies’ trucks for shipments. The facility represents a $4.1 million investment and about 36 additional jobs for the county.

The facility is located at the corner of Sonntag Drive and Valley Ridge Road off Interstate 26 at Exit 125.

• Wire Mesh Corp., a manufacturer of wire reinforcements for concrete and building structures, announced in March it would invest $13.1 million and create 49 new jobs over the next five years in Calhoun County.
• Fitts Co., a manufacturer of specialty signs, announced in February 2015 it would invest $4.2 million and create 105 new jobs.

The company will construct a 70,000-square-foot facility at Calhoun County’s Interstate 26 Industrial Park at Exit 125.

"All of these new and expanding businesses, along with others, including our agricultural industry in Calhoun County, add to our tax base, contribute to the increase of the per-capita income of our citizens, and provide the opportunity for economic growth, prosperity and the creation of wealth in our economic system," Black said.

Black said there is more to be grateful for as well.

Construction has begun on the Calhoun County speculative building in the I-26 Calhoun County Industrial Park.

The building is a joint venture between Calhoun County and Santee-Cooper and will bring additional economic development prospects to the area and offer immediate facilities for those industries wishing to locate in the county.

Black said one must not forget about agriculture and its impact in Calhoun County.

"This segment of our economy is often taken for granted largely because we have the most abundant, most productive and safest food supply of any nation in the world," Black said. "However, events of this past year forced us all to view the production and distribution of our food and fiber supply from a different perspective. Summer droughts and fall floods hit agriculture with a double dose of reality from which we are still recovering."

Each county in the state also recognizes an individual who has contributed to industrial development within their respective counties for the past year.

The South Carolina Governor's Office officially recognizes all of the ambassadors annually at the Statehouse. The names of the Calhoun County and Bamberg County economic development ambassadors will be released following the governor's announcement.

In honor of all industries, Black said the county is getting together a golf tournament and inviting industries to the event. The event is planned during Industry Appreciation Week and is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, April 27.

"We want to gauge the participation we can expect," Black said. "It may not rival the Masters, but we will have a great time."

Bamberg County

Bamberg County, which is a part of the Southern Carolina Alliance, annually celebrates its industries in October when it holds an industry appreciation banquet at the Sweetwater Country Club in Barnwell.

The banquet culminates an October full of activities including a golf tournament and a markmanship activity.

The Southern Carolina Alliance includes Bamberg, Barnwell, Hampton, Allendale, Colleton and Jasper counties.

Industries investing in Bamberg County over the last year include Black Water Barrels LLC, which announced in January it plans to invest $3.6 million, resulting in the creation of 57 new jobs over the next five years.

To house its operations, the company purchased the 9,000-square-foot former Zeigler Chevrolet dealership at 3941 Main Highway. The company plans to add an additional 12,000 square feet. The property has about seven acres.

Zeigler Chevrolet closed its doors in April 2014 after being in business for 40 years.

Black Water Barrels expects to be fully operational late in the second quarter of 2016. It anticipates hiring will begin in April 2016. The average wage will be $15 an hour.

In addition to industrial announcements, in 2015 Bamberg County was federally designated as a Promise Zone.

Promise Zones are high-poverty communities where the federal government partners with local leaders to increase economic activity, improve educational opportunities, leverage private investment, reduce violent crime, enhance public health and address other priorities identified by the community.

Bamberg County would be eligible to apply for and receive federal grant monies over the next decade. The amount of money available for the region and the extent of the local match depend on the agency and the type of program.

The implementation of the grant process will be federally led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and locally by the Southern Carolina Alliance.

Statewide

The Silver Anniversary of Industry Appreciation Week is touted as an opportunity to express thanks to area companies for their contributions to the local communities, as well as a chance to build awareness that existing business is a fundamental driver of both the local and state economy.

Industry Appreciation Week is held at different times of the year annually.

It includes a series of events that involve the General Assembly and business and industry-focused organizations.

Additionally, the week provides a forum for discussion of issues impacting business and industry.