A Calhoun County plastics manufacturer announced in March it was planning to invest $54 million over the next five years in building and machinery upgrades to support its Sandy Run operations.
DAK Americas LLC said it was making the investment for the general support of its operations as a whole, not for a particular project.
The investment was projected to be more than $1 million a year with projected total investments of $54 million for the period of 2021-25.
The investment comes on the heels of the creation of 75 new jobs at the site in 2021 when DAK made strategic moves to replace similar rolls that had been being serviced for a number of years through contract jobs.
The company's conversion from contract to full service employees allows for it to establish job progression and longevity to the employees and serves as an opportunity for advancement versus variable contracts, according to company officials.
The 75 jobs have a pay scale ranging from $35,000 a year to $100,000 a year with an average pay scale of $47,000 a year.
DAK purchased Carolina Eastman’s polyethylene terephthalate-manufacturing operations in Calhoun County in February 2011. PET is a plastic used in drink bottles and other packaging. The company employs about 430, according to the Central South Carolina Alliance.
DAK Americas is an international resin producer in the Alpek Polyester Business group of companies.
