Orangeburg, S.C. – August 27, 2013 -The South Carolina Chamber of Commerce announced has that Cox Industries of Orangeburg County was named 2013 Medium Manufacturer of the Year. Winners and nominees were honored before an audience of fellow manufacturers and business leaders at the Manufacturer of the Year Awards Luncheon Hosted at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Columbia. This year’s keynote speaker was Josh Fiorini, chief executive officer of PTR Industries, Inc.

For the sixth year in a row, Cox is partnering with Habitat for Humanity to sponsor a home build for a local family. In addition to monetary and material commitments (approximately $60,000), Cox employees volunteer numerous hours fundraising, framing, roofing, siding, painting, landscaping, and furnishing the home. Additionally, Cox supports the Boy Scouts of America Indian Water Council; The Oaks retirement community in Orangeburg, SC; United Way of the Midlands; Coastal Conservation Association; The Regional Medical Center Foundation; Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and numerous other community organizations. Cox also sponsors about a dozen youth sports teams each year in support of our employees and business partners. In an effort to promote partnerships with private and public entities, Cox just completed the “600 in 60” project. This project partnered Cox Industries, Boy Scouts of America, and the South Carolina State Parks. Cox donated product for 600 picnic tables to be built by various Boy Scout troops across the state and placed in South Carolina State Parks in just 60 days.

Whether building homes for Habitat for Humanity, raising money and supplies for disaster relief, funding scholarship programs for employee’s children or just sponsoring a local youth ball team, Cox understands that people and community come first. Employee and community diversity, engagement and development have been the keys to success for Cox Industries.

The Manufacturer of the Year Awards Luncheon, was presented by Nexsen Pruet, LLC. This award is dedicated to recognizing the accomplishments and contributions of South Carolina manufacturers and culminated with the announcement of three South Carolina Manufacturer of the Year award recipients.

“The Orangeburg County Council congratulates Cox Industries on its accomplishments and we thank Cox for its commitment to Orangeburg County. We are also thrilled that one of our industries has been chosen as Manufacturer of the year for two consecutive years,” said Chairman Johnnie Wright, Sr., Orangeburg County Council.“

“Congratulations to Mikee Johnson and Cox Industries. Cox continues to make a positive impact in our community We appreciate all of your contributions and we look forward to greater things in the future.” said Kenneth Middleton, Chairman of the Orangeburg County Development Commission.

“We honor Cox for their commitment to providing excellent jobs, giving back to the communities and producing quality products,” said Gregg Robinson, Executive Director of Orangeburg County Development Commission

While thunder clapped and rain poured over the Regional Medical Center’s H. Filmore Mabry Center for Cancer Care Tuesday afternoon, inside was filled with warmth and cheer as hospital officials, patients and government leaders celebrated the grand opening of the expanded facility.

“It is real nice,” said S.A. Bolin, a prostate cancer patient for the past two years. “It is more convenient and they will be able to take more patients. It won’t be crowded. It will help the whole community.”

Bolin’s cancer, which spread to his bones, has been easier to bear because of the “one-of-a-kind” services provided at the center by a staff he praises highly.

“They have always done a good job here,” he said, adding the expansion puts the center on par with larger cities. “You don’t have to go out of town to get the services. You get it here.”

Through the expansion, the hospital hopes to treat people who would travel to Columbia and Charleston for treatment. An out-migration of about 14 percent has been cited.

Despite having to move the festivities inside because of frequent lightning, the weather did not seem to dampen the spirits of those gathered.

Groundbreaking for the $8 million expansion was held in June 2012.

The 9,696-square-foot addition to the Mabry Center for Cancer Care at RMC has allowed for additional medical oncology space, four additional exam rooms and patient, family and support areas, as well as a second linear accelerator to handle increasing patient volumes for radiation.

Fifteen additional chemotherapy rooms were added, for a total of 25.

The hospital paid for the project using a portion of a $25 million borrowing package.

The multiphase project was done without interrupting patient care. The expanded center has been seeing patients since the spring.

Janet Barrett, a three-year breast cancer survivor, came to Tuesday’s grand opening for informational purposes.

“In case I have to come back, I want to be familiar with what is here,” she said. “This is a blessing. I don’t know why people would choose elsewhere. It is top-notch here.”

The Rev. Dr. Caesar Richburg, chairman of the RMC board, said the center’s expansion makes Orangeburg the “first of the first” when it comes to cancer care.

“It is no longer that we have to get in our cars and travel southeast or northwest to go to the other service areas,” Richburg said. “It can all be done here in Orangeburg.”

Orangeburg County Councilman Clyde Livingston said he did not know of another county the size of Orangeburg that has such a premier cancer facility.

“I look back at the people who had the vision in years gone by to start the cancer center,” he said. “Looking to the future, there are greater things to come.”

Livingston noted the hospital is growing and has a great location between Charleston and Columbia and near Augusta and Savannah.

“If we work together and work out those little differences we have from time to time, I think we will have many more great days in Orangeburg and Calhoun counties,” he said.

Calhoun County Councilman James Haigler praised the expansion, noting cancer touches everyone’s lives.

“Calhoun County has been in a supportive role and we will continue to be,” Haigler said.

RMC Foundation Board Chairman Donna Matthews said although the building and expansion are beautiful, the beauty goes much deeper.

“The beauty of the whole project is the beauty of the people we get to help. So many people will benefit from this beauty,” Matthews said.

Cancer Center Director Theresa Chandler said rain or no rain, clouds or no clouds, the day is a “bright beginning.”

“We know that our patients are being taken care of in a caring environment,” Chandler said. “It is our honor to take care of you and to take care of this community and to give not only our brains and our knowledge but our love and also our commitment.”

The Mabry Center was built in 1992 to treat and accommodate 400 patients a year.

Last year, more than 1,000 patients were treated, and more than 5,000 radiation treatments were performed.

Prayers were offered Tuesday for the doctors and patients who provide and receive care at the center and that all may experience healing.

In an effort to symbolize life and hope, butterflies were released into the raindrops.

Following the program, attendees were able to partake of refreshments, take tours and win door prizes.

Orangeburg – Monteferro USA, a producer of elevator guide rails, is expanding its existing operations in Orangeburg County.

The $2.1 million investment is expected to generate 10 new jobs over the next two years.

Monteferro USA plans to add 32,000 square feet of production and storage space, as well as several new pieces of production equipment. The expansion is expected to be completed in 2014.

This project will take the facility to more than 72,000 square feet in the Orangeburg County/City Industrial Park located at Exit 154 on I-26.

“It has been Monteferro’s long-term plan to increase our production capacity in Orangeburg and we feel now is the appropriate time to do so. We see an upturn in the construction industry and we expect it to continue. We would like to thank the Orangeburg County Development Commission for the assistance they provided Monteferro USA and for their continuous support over the years,” said Bill Welch, president of Monteferro USA.

Orangeburg County Development Commission Chairman Kenneth Middleton said Monteferro’s decision to expand shows Orangeburg is ready and that the trademarked Global Logistics Triangle (Interstate 26, U.S. 301 and Interstate 95) is an ideal place to locate.

“It’s always great to see our existing industries expand,” he said. “We look forward to Monteferro continuing to thrive in the future.”

“We applaud Monteferro’s success and are thankful for the capital investment and job creation that our community will receive. It is a great day in Orangeburg County,” Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright Sr. said.

“We welcome the new jobs and investment in our community and look forward to Monteferro’s continued long term success,” Orangeburg Mayor Paul Miller said. “This project is confirmation that when industries come to Orangeburg, South Carolina, they can expect real results.”

“Monteferro’s decision to expand in Orangeburg County speaks to South Carolina’s business-friendliness and thriving advanced manufacturing industry. We celebrate today’s announcement, and Monteferro’s addition of 10 new jobs to one of South Carolina’s rural communities,” Gov. Nikki Haley said.

Since January 2011, South Carolina has recruited more than $9 billion in capital investment and more than 26,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector, according to the S.C. Department of Commerce.

The announcement is Orangeburg County’s first industrial acquisition or expansion of 2013.

“Today’s announcement is another boost to the state’s manufacturing sector and adds to South Carolina’s reputation for building quality products and building them well. This is Monteferro’s second expansion in six years in South Carolina, and the company’s continued investment in our state will not only have an impact in Orangeburg County, but throughout South Carolina,” Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt said.

“Existing industries have location choices when it comes to making corporate site selection decisions, especially in today’s highly competitive environment for capital. We greatly appreciate Monteferro USA’s confidence in Orangeburg County by making this significant announcement to expand,” said Mike Briggs, president and CEO of Central SC Alliance.

For more information about Monteferro America, visit www.monteferroamerica.com

The longtime chairwoman of the Orangeburg County Development Commission is retiring at the end of the month.

Jeannine Kees said she decided to leave the position after a total of 11 years due to other professional and personal obligations.

“Obviously I am still very interested in what is happening in economic development but there comes a time when we need to have some new blood,” Kees said. “We need to have younger folks. I have done this for a while.”

Kenneth Middleton will become the next chairman of the commission, which is tasked with attracting new investment and jobs into the county. Terry Cook will serve as vice chairman.

Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright praised both Kees and Middleton as leaders who have served the county well.

“She has been a tremendous asset to the Development Commission and to the county for many, many years,” Wright said. “She has done a good job. I was always pleased with her leadership and her professionalism.”

Kees, who also is the vice president and broker in charge of Orangeburg’s Century 21 The Moore Group, says she has no plans to retire from the real estate business in the near future.

“Everybody would rather retire when things are positive and I think things are heading in the right direction,” she said. “I think we have a lot of good things getting ready to happen. Things are in an excellent position to move forward.”

Kees was first appointed to the commission by former Councilwoman Andrea Bowers in December 1994 for a two-year term.

Kees was elected chairwoman in 1996, serving in that position for two years before Leonard Rice became chairman. Kees again became chairwoman in 2004 upon Rice’s retirement. She has held the position since.

Speaking on behalf of council, Wright said members wish Kees well and hope she will remain in an unofficial advisory role.

“We hope she will be around the county to help us every now and then,” he said.

Orangeburg County Council Vice Chairwoman Janie Cooper-Smith noted that Kees was one of her first appointments.

“I saw from the very outset that what kind of Realtor she is and what kind of person she is,” Cooper-Smith said. “I thought she would be a key person because she was already in the business. I made a very, very wise decision.”

Cooper-Smith said Kees always had a voice that is listened to and respected.

“She will be missed,” Cooper-Smith said. “Knowing Jeannine she is not going to let go. There will be a line of communication between her and the Commission as long as she is able to talk.”

Middleton, the president and CEO of Middleton Companies and owner of Coldwell Banker Middleton and Associates, has been a member of the commission since 2005.

He has served as an at-large member of the commission’s executive committee for the past two years.

Middleton has also served on a number of organizations and boards throughout the county, including the Orangeburg County Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Business Advisory Board at Claflin University and the Board of Trustees at Middleton Place in Charleston.

“I bring a lot of different perspectives to the table, I would hope,” he said. “I have a willingness to cooperate, collaborate and communicate and I think that is what is required to lead any organization.”

Middleton said in addition to his experience, he is also a lifelong resident of Orangeburg County.

“I am well aware of our strengths and our weaknesses and the relationship in the city between individuals,” Middleton said. “I am optimistic because I think we have put together a good board of intensely concerned individuals who truly have Orangeburg County’s best interest at heart.”

Wright said the selection of Middleton by the commission shows Middleton is admired for his knowledge and person.

“I think Kenneth has the right demeanor to lead the commission,” Wright said. “He is humble and you can talk to him. He listens and that is what it takes to lead. You have to listen to other people and allow them to give their input and stay level-headed. He has that in him. I feel confident things will go well.”

Cooper-Smith said Middleton will fit in nicely into the position as a businessman and Realtor.

“He knows about the economy and he knows what it is like to get people to come to Orangeburg to reside,” she said. “He knows how to interchange the two.”

Middleton praised the OCDC staff and Kees’ leadership.

“I think the bar has been set very high,” he said. “She has represented Orangeburg County masterfully and I hope I can do that as well.

Industry and Orangeburg County have become synonymous in the minds of both residents and officials. The manufacturing sector is a significant economic contributor in employment and wages in the county.

“Industry is the leading indicator of a number of services and other related functions of our economy,” says Gregg Robinson, Orangeburg County Development Commission executive director. “You live to work and you work to play, and you can’t play unless you have discretionary income. Industry provides that avenue for people to have services that industry benefits from. Without industry, we would significantly struggle.”

In 2012 alone, industries announced $104.5 million in capital investment and 119 new jobs.

Orangeburg County joins other counties from across the state in honoring the impact industries have on the local economy during Industry Appreciation Week, March 18-22.

The county plans to hold a luncheon for industries later in the year; an exact date has yet to be determined, Robinson said.

Named as Orangeburg County’s Economic Development Ambassador of the Year for 2012 was Joe McFalls, Holly Hill’s Holcim Inc. plant manager. McFalls has more than a decade’s worth of experience in managing industrial plants. Prior to joining Holcim, he managed Olin-McIntosh for four years.

McFalls managed Holcim’s Mobile, Ala. plant from 2005 through 2008 before becoming manager at the Holly Hill plant in April 2008.

He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the Tennessee Technological University in 1981.

McFalls has served in a number of professional organizations, including Alternative Fuels & Raw Materials, Emissions and Pyro-Processing in Cement; the Charleston Area Joint Apprenticeship Committee; the Orlando Industrial Applications Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; and the Portland Cement Association.

Holcim has also been named the county’s industry of the year.

“Holcim is a fantastic company,” Robinson said, noting the company was named the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce Industry of the Year for medium-sized manufacturers.

The company was also a 2012 nominee for ilver Crescent Award for Manufacturing Excellence in the small manufacturers category.

According to the most recent Quarterly Census of Employment & Workforce for the third quarter of 2012, the manufacturing sector in Orangeburg employs 5,976 workers, approximately 20 percent of all employed workers in the county.

The county’s total labor force is 41,202, according to the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce.

Approximately 92 industries call Orangeburg County home.

Robinson said the county experienced a successful year in economic development in 2012, with more than 96 prospect visits.

“We continue to see a lot of activity and a lot of interest in our area,” Robinson said.

Industrial announcements and developments in Orangeburg County in 2012 include:

Canadian housing manufacturer Innovative Composites International LLC, which does business locally under the name EcoScapes Composites LLC, opened in April at the former DANA building in the Orangeburg County/City Industrial Park.

EcoScapes has said it will invest $9.3 million to manufacture composite housing that can be quickly assembled for disaster relief and other needs. EcoScapes has promised 300 new jobs over the next five years.

Federal Mogul Friction Products, an Orangeburg brake manufacturer, in May said it would invest about $7 million in its Orangeburg plant to introduce a new product line.

The company said the investment, associated with the manufacture of brake pads for the Ford F-150 line, would create about 40 manufacturing jobs.

Federal Mogul has about 210 employees at its 210,000-square-foot facility on U.S. 21 south of Orangeburg. The company has been in Orangeburg since 1996.

Albemarle Corp. announced a multimillion-dollar expansion of its Cannon Bridge Road plant in December.

The company is expecting to invest $65 million and create 20 new jobs over the next five years.

The company expanded its fire safety solutions line. Albemarle will make GreenCrest flame retardants for use in insulation. The company plans to commercialize the new technology in 2014.

In addition, Albemarle will add new and “confidential” products in the company’s Fine Chemistry Services business. It will also expand equipment in its organometallic production unit to support the growing polymer catalysts business.

Mars Petcare US announced it would make a $12.5 million investment over the next three years to produce more Pedigree and Whiskas pet food at its Orangeburg facility.

Mars Petcare US operates a facility in the Orangeburg County Industrial Park off Rowesville Road, near the airport.

The company employs about 90 people; no new jobs were added as a result of the investment.

According to officials, the company will install more equipment and purchase 3.75 acres adjacent to its current facility to expand its drop lot, where trailers are loaded.

An Orangeburg steel-recycling company cut the ribbon in May on its auto salvage yard for import models.