MARCH 16, 2003
Back on LINER
--Once the facility nobody wanted, former plant gets new lease on life

Jay Dukes stocks planter shelves Thursday at the Southern Patio warehouse, located in the old Greenwood Mills Liner Plant off Rowesville Road. Atlanta-based Southern Sales and Marketing Group Inc. has commenced shipping and distributing operations of its Southern Patio lawn and garden products from the former textile manufacturing facility, which had been vacant for nearly 15 years. CHRISTOPHER HUFF/T&D

By GENE ZALESKI, T&D Staff Writer

Vacant for the better part of 15 years, the old Greenwood Mills Liner Plant off Rowesville Road is once again bustling with activity.

Atlanta-based Southern Sales and Marketing Group Inc. has commenced shipping and distributing operations of its Southern Patio lawn and garden products from the former textile manufacturing facility.

Ken Harbaugh, SSMGI owner and chief executive officer, said the search for a location with the best people and an available work force ceased when the company settled on Orangeburg.

"We have always felt comfortable with the people we met," Harbaugh said, referring to the community leaders and in particular the Orangeburg County Development Commission staff. "If we could revive something like that (the old Greenwood Mills Liner Plant) rather than have it sitting vacant ... we felt that we could add value to the county and area by having it in this location."

The 426,000-square-foot building -- of which roughly 115,000 square feet are used -- will serve as SSMGI's primary distribution outlet.

In celebration of the company's arrival, county economic development, city and state leaders will hold a ribbon-cutting and grand opening ceremony on Monday, March 17, at the plant's site. The gathering will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

A leader in the lawn and garden/patio furniture and umbrella business, Southern Patio primarily sells its products through retailers such as Lowe's, Wal-Mart Canada, Home Depot and Kroger.

The occupancy of the building is noteworthy.

For the better part of 15 years, it was vacant following the closure of Greenwood Mills because of a phase-out and restructuring of its processes. The closure was attributed to the "continuing deterioration of the finished goods market."

And by all accounts, vacancy looked inevitable.

Concerns regarding the feasibility of the facility housing anything other than a textile-based operation -- without having to undergo significant renovations -- discouraged perspective companies from occupying the building.

Shortly upon closing, a sale agreement with textile manufacturer, The Russell Corp., fell through as the company withdrew from the deal citing ground contamination from the plant's dyeing and finishing operations.

At the time, company officials stressed contamination was not unusual and would cease with the passage of time without harm done to Mother Nature.

"All the issues have been and are being dealt with," Harbaugh said. "The contamination ... has been well documented by DHEC. Monitoring wells are on site. There were 14 and now they are down to three. It is being monitored on a consistent basis."

With regard to renovation work, Harbaugh said the company has invested approximately $1 million -- in minor asbestos abatement, roofing maintenance and electric rewiring -- since the purchase of the building last year.

"We are very comfortable with the building," Harbaugh said. "It has been certified by the best people. We have used the best of the best (in getting the facility in line with operational and safety standards.)"

Southern Patio is so comfortable with the building and its surroundings, Harbaugh said the firm continues to look toward expansion possibilities both in employment and land occupation.

Currently, the company employs 20 to 25 people, though Harbaugh said plans are in place to construct additional buildings that could see employment numbers reach the 1,000 range at its peak.

"The ports are important," Harbaugh said. The company imports 1,000 containers a year from the Orient.

The proximity of the distribution center to ports -- less than 100 miles from Charleston and Savannah -- was a key drawing card to the region, Harbaugh said.

Previously, the company's main distribution center was in Atlanta.

Railway service too was an attraction.

The company plans to construct an additional railroad spur -- two already join the building but will not be used, Harbaugh said.

A majority of Southern Patio's shipping will be done utilizing interstates with an estimated 900 truckloads traversing through the T&D Region on a yearly basis. Each truck will carry roughly 20 containers of its marble-based products and nearly 40 containers of other goods.

The commencement of operations here is just one of two SSMGI facilities to open simultaneously.

It will also open an office in Shenzhen China registered under the Chinese government.

The facility, which will have five employees, will serve as a liaison between the U.S. office and Chinese factories.

"We now feel confident that we have the space available to meet the warehousing needs of our customers, and the staff in place to run the operation smoothly," said Gary Miller, SSMGI president.

Some of the company's products include its flagship item, the Butterfly Umbrella, plus awnings, benches, furniture, edging, arbors, planters and fencing.

The Orangeburg facility will be company's primary distribution location with its main headquarters remaining in Atlanta. The company also operates a distribution warehouse in the Reno, Nevada, area.

In accommodating the company's request, the Orangeburg County Planning Commission in January unanimously approved naming the road Southern Patio Parkway in order to better highlight its presence in the area.

"In recognition of the company's investment in Orangeburg County, we approve the name request," was the general consensus of the OCPC.

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