It’s been 13 years since Dubai World, parent company of Jafza International, said it was considering Orangeburg County for a $600-700 million logistics, manufacturing and distribution center.

While the company purchased land in the Santee area, the project never materialized as planned following the global economic recession that began in December 2007.

But there is movement once again at the 1,322-acre “South Carolina Gateway Industrial Park,” formerly JAFZA Magna Park.

“It is under construction,” Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said. “Dirt is being moved.”

Two pads have been built at the site to house future speculative buildings attracting companies to the area.

One pad is on a 22-acre site and will house a 250,000-square-foot speculative building. The other pad is a 20-acre site and will house a 125,000-square-foot speculative building, according to the project’s website.

“DP World is excited to move this project forward both on a small scale — the first building — but on a larger scale of growing the park in what we refer to as our premier industrial park in the U.S.,” Vice President of Parks Logistics and Zones DP World Brian Hoffman said in a video presentation on the company’s website about the Santee project.

Hoffman explained the 125,000-square-foot building is an expandable Class A structure with tilt walls that can be subdivided for smaller users. 

Hoffman says the park’s master plan projects upwards of 6.5 million square feet of building space. About 350 acres are currently available for sale or built-to-suit development.

Signage on the property notes there are 14 available sites (two of which are listed as pad-ready) and two listed as commercial.

Hoffman said the park could handle industrial, warehousing, manufacturing as well as ancillary services.

DP World Americas, formerly Jafza USA, a subsidiary of Dubai World, is the property owner.

DP World was originally founded in the 1970s as a terminal logistics company, but over the last two years has focused on parks and logistics in an effort to complement its terminal operations, said Hoffman.

DP World purchased the Orangeburg County property in 2006.

“The reason we are seeing speculative buildings and pads being developed is because of the commitment from County Council and our utilities to make the sites more readily available,” Robinson said. “We are preparing ourselves for the future investment.”

The Orangeburg County Development Commission is marketing the property heavily on its website.

According to an OCDC flyer, about 806 acres of the site can be developed.

Land at the site is valued at $18,000 to $30,000 an acre, according to the OCDC flyer.

The site has power through Tri-County Electric Cooperative, natural gas from Dominion, water from the Lake Marion Regional Water System, sewer service from Orangeburg County/Santee, telecommunications through Verizon and Frontier and fire protection from the Santee Fire Service and Orangeburg County Fire Service.

The site also has access to CSX rail.

The property is also certified by the S.C. Department of Commerce, meaning that substantial wetlands, environmental, geotechnical and archaeological studies have been performed.

The park has had some interest from manufacturing and warehousing/distribution companies in the automotive, wood products, agribusiness and distribution logistics sectors. The OCDC has shown the industrial park to prospective companies over the past year.

The property received a boost in the spring of 2017 with the opening of the new Exit 97 and U.S. 301 Extension interchange from S.C. Highway 6 to Interstate 95.

The stretch of roadway is also known as the U.S. 301/S.C. Highway 6 Connector.

The $45 million dollar project formed the eastern anchor of South Carolina’s Global Logistics Triangle. The Global Logistics Triangle is the name Orangeburg County uses to market the area bordered by I-26, I-95 and U.S. 301.

County officials have said the absence of a developed interchange and adequate roadway infrastructure on and off of I-95 and U.S. 301 was the most challenging aspect of attracting business to the site.

The property is also home to the $1.2 million, 16,000-square-foot Santee Enterprise Center completed in 2011.

The building has housed a number of small industries employing a few dozen at any given time.

Since the construction in 2011, the facility has been leased to an automotive training facility and most recently, a custom pipe fabrication company (Ameripipe Supply).

he South Carolina Department of Transportation is seeking public comment for proposed improvements to the Interstate 26-Interstate 95 interchange and the widening of I-26 in Orangeburg and Dorchester counties.

The SCDOT is seeking comment on the addition of the preliminary engineering phase of work for I-26/I-95 (Exit 169) interchange improvement and I-26 widening from mile marker 165 to 187.

The interchange ramps will be realigned to allow traffic to flow better from one interstate to the other and to enhance traffic safety at the interchange, according to SCDOT officials.

The widening of I-26 would be from S.C. 210 (Vance Road) to S.C. 27 (Ridgeville Road) in Dorchester County.

The public comment period would include the preliminary engineering phase for the proposed project.

The public has the opportunity to comment on the action to amend the 2021- 27 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) to include the project’s preliminary engineering costs of $19 million.

The project proposes improvements to an approximately 22-mile-long section of I-26 to increase capacity and freight mobility on the mainline and upgrade interchanges.

It is also part of a bigger plan to have three lanes in each direction on I-26 from Charleston to Columbia by the end of the decade. The goal of both the interchange improvements and widening is to make the highway safer for motorists.

Pending consideration of public comments, the approval of the projects will be recommended for inclusion in a future version of the STIP.

To assist those who do not have internet access, supporting information is available for public review and comment at the SCDOT district office, 1724 Charleston Highway in Orangeburg. The phone number is 803-531-6850.

Comments can be mailed to: Viola Covington, 955 Park Street, P.O. Box 191, Columbia, SC 29202

Comments will be accepted until the close of business on Oct. 10 and should be forwarded to Christina Lewis, Statewide Planning Chief, SCDOT Office of Planning, 955 Park Street, P.O. Box 191, Columbia, S.C. 29202 or lewisc@scdot.org.

Orangeburg County is going study the possibility of extending sewer service to the eastern portion of the county.

Orangeburg County Council agreed Tuesday to apply for a South Carolina Rural Infrastructure loan to help finance the cost of a feasibility study.

The study will cover the eastern portion of the county, including the Bowman, Branchville, Elloree, Eutawville, Holly Hill, Santee and Vance areas, Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said.

The study will assess the existing sewer infrastructure and provide a roadmap for the development of sewer infrastructure in the eastern part of the county.

“This is just another instance where you guys are making a significant effort to create economic development improvements in the eastern end of the county,” Young said. “Our footprint is not central Orangeburg. We are involved in multiple projects that are being looked at in the western end of the county as well as the eastern end.”

In addition, council approved a number of zoning requests, including:

• Council gave third and final reading to the rezoning of property located next to the Bowman Medical Center, at the intersection of Bowman Avenue and Charleston Highway.

The property will now be zoned commercial general for the purpose of developing a general retail store. The property had been zoned forest/agriculture.

• Council gave third and final reading to the rezoning of property at 3099 Rowesville Road to commercial general for the purpose of reestablishing a bar/club and event venue.

The building had previously been an event venue which hosted events and parties, and served as a club.

• Council gave third and final reading to the rezoning of property at 5979 North Road in Orangeburg to business industrial district to establish an auto salvage business.

The property used to house G&J Import Salvage. It was zoned for forest/agriculture.

• Council gave second reading to the rezoning of property at 2729 Binnicker Bridge Road in Cope to commercial general for the purpose of operating a lounge/bar and grill.

It is located at the corner of Binnicker Bridge Road and Brandi Lane. The property is now zoned for forest/agriculture.

• Council gave second reading to the rezoning of property on Riverbank Drive/Jessamine Drive to residential single-family for the purpose of a single-family residential development. The property is already surrounded by single-family residential dwellings.

The City of Orangeburg’s Department of Public Utilities plans to spend about $45 million on capital projects in the coming fiscal year.

DPU’s capital improvement plan includes 28 projects.

The utility had to delay a number of projects originally scheduled for 2020 due to COVID.

Here are highlights of some of the new and previously approved capital projects for the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

Electric Division

Electric Division Director Wade Holmes presented the following projects at a recent meeting:

• New – Upgrading the 46 kilovolt system.

The upgrade will eliminate the need for 46kV delivery points from Dominion Energy and help the utility to be consistent with industry standards.

It also creates a transmission system that is more controlled and operated by the utility’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system. SCADA is a computer-based system for gathering and analyzing real-time data to monitor and control equipment.

The upgrade would also enable the utility to replace the 46kV transformer at its North Road substation, the utility’s largest substation.

The project’s cost is about $2.9 million.

• New – Adding a 115kV loop to its Galaxy Road substation. The $9 million project will entail the construction of 5.1 miles of 115kV transmission lines to bring the substation into its 115kV loop.

• New – Increasing the electrical capacity of the Glover Street substation. The $2.9 million rebuild is a part of the utility’s overall upgrade of existing aging infrastructure and its effort to improve the reliability of its 46kV system.

The new substation would be rebuilt across the street from the existing substation.

• New — Upgrading the utility’s mobile radio system to 800 megahertz. Currently, DPU has a 400 megahertz radio system that is about 15 years old and parts cannot be found for the system.

The new system will give the utility GPS capability, which would let it track trucks and would save the district an estimated $30,000 annually.

The project will cost about $1.3 million.

• Previously approved – Shifting 46kV lines from underground to overhead, which will make maintenance of the lines easier at its North Road substation. The underground power cables are about 30 years old. About $295,000 will be spent in the coming fiscal year.

• Previously approved – Replacing the transformer on the Old Elloree Road substation. The existing substation transformer experienced lower-than-expected performance.

• Previously approved – Replacing a transformer at the substation on Rowesville Road. The new transformer will be able to handle a greater power load. The existing transformer, which is 30 years old, will be repurposed to serve an industrial customer. The substation serves industrial parks and the utility’s wastewater treatment plant.

• Previously approved – Consolidating three of the utility’s substations into one at the utility’s Sprinkle Avenue substation. The other three substations, which are between 42 and 63 years old, will be used for other purposes. The project increases flexibility, reliability and will be loop fed from the utility’s 115kV transmission system.

About $7.1 million has already been spent on the projects, which have a total cost of $41.8 million. About $16 million will be spent this year.

Water Division

Water Division Director Eric Odom presented the following projects at a recent meeting:

• New – Installing new, automated water meters. The utility has installed about 3,000 to 4,000 water meters over the past few years. The project will replace the remaining 18,000 to 20,000 water meters.

The project will improve billing timeliness, meter reading ability and allow customers to have access to notifications about possible water leaks. Customers will not have to wait 30 or 60 days to realize they have a water leak.

The total cost of the project is $6.5 million.

• New – Water main replacement project. The area targeted in the coming year will be south of Russell Street; north of Whitman and Gregg Street; and borders Magnolia and Whittaker Parkway.

The infrastructure in the area was built in the 1950s. Recently, the utility has had to go to the area several times to replace broken valves and respond to water main breaks. Water flows have decreased over the area in recent years.

About 20,000 feet of pipe will replaced over the next two years. The project will improve water quality and water flow in the area.

Grants will be sought for the project, including a $500,000 Rural Infrastructure grant to do the first phase of the project.

The city plans to apply for a Community Development Block Grant in March 2022 for the second phase of the project.

The total cost of the project is estimated to be about $3.9 million. About $2 million will be spent in the coming fiscal year.

• Previously approved – Relocating 12-inch water main across the Edisto River due to U.S. 301 bridge replacement.

The project is on hold until the S.C. Department of Transportation proceeds with the bridge replacement. As a result, DPU does not expect to spend any money this coming fiscal year on the project.

The project will increase the pipe size from 12 inches to 18 inches. The cast iron pipe will also be replaced new ductile iron with upgraded valves.

The project is expected to cost about $2 million.

The water division projects will cost a total of $12.4 million, with about $8.5 million being spent this coming fiscal year. About $93,367 has already been spent on the water projects.

Administrative Division

Director Josh Nexsen presented the following projects at a recent meeting:

• New – HVAC replacement in the utility’s main floor office. The utility’s four units were installed in 2000. The estimated cost to replace each are between $40,000 and $60,000. The utility will also look at replacing the roof of its main headquarters. The building was built in 1976 and the roof was reconstructed between 1987 and 1990.

The utility plans to spend about $350,000 on the HVAC project in 2022 and about $350,000 for the new roof as well.

It will take about a year to complete.

• New – Upgrading the utility’s enterprise software. The estimated cost of the project is $550,000. The software was put in place about six years ago and was last upgraded about three years ago.

The upgrade will improve workflow and collections stream processes. The project is expected to take six months to a year to implement.

• New – Clearing land on Sprinkle Avenue behind DPU’s current operations center. The 26-acre property will be cleared in an effort to improve stormwater drainage. DPU officials say the property could also be a future site for commercial or industrial development.

• New – Assess the utility’s cyber security for the internal network that handles its business systems. The assessment will include the system’s fiber optic network. The project will take six to 12 months. The cost is estimated at about $250,000.

• Previously approved – A continuing project includes an upgrade to the DPU operations and center crew quarters and assembly building. The building is being enlarged to house outside utility crews in the event of a weather event. The project is nearing completion.

About $10.7 million has already been spent on the administrative projects so far with about $6.4 million remaining to be spent this coming year.

Gas Division

Director Dave Durgin presented the following projects at a recent meeting:

• New – Replacing aging piping on Riverside Drive as part of an effort to upgrade its aging infrastructure.

The project will cost about $325,000 and will entail the replacement of an 8-inch aging steel gas main. The project should take 10 months to complete.

• New – Extending natural gas service to parts of the county where natural gas services are not provided. The cost is $1 million.

The project will entail the installation of 19,000 feet of two-inch to six-inch lines. The project should take about a year to complete.

• Previously approved – U.S. 301 bridge replacement gas project. The utility is awaiting the South Carolina Department of Transportation’s final design.

About 2,000 feet of steel pipe will be replaced and new valves installed.

The estimated cost is $1.3 million.

• Previously approved – Replacing infrastructure on Belleville Road. The project has been delayed due to COVID-19. Construction is expected to begin in the fall.

The project will entail the replacement of about 17,000 feet of two-inch and 10-inch steel main.

The estimated cost is $1.1 million.

• Previously approved – Replacing infrastructure in the Edisto Drive area. The project has also been delayed by COVID.

The project cost is about $1.2 million. The project will replace pipe that has a coating no longer used in the gas industry. Additional valves will be replaced.

The total cost of the projects in the gas division is about $5.3 million with about $4.2 million expected to be spent this year. Thus far, about $485,828 has been spent on the gas projects.

Wastewater Division

Director Richard Labrador presented the following projects at a recent meeting:

• Previously approved – Replacing a biosolid dryer that had exceeded its useful life and was not operational. The project was mainly complete. The dryer will have a projected lifespan of 20 to 25 years and will have a larger footprint than the previous dryer.

• Previously approved – U.S. 601/I-26 wastewater extension. Substantially complete. Tri-County Electric Cooperative will reimburse DPU 100% of the cost.

• Previously approved – Country Club Estates wastewater rehabilitation. Aging infrastructure allows rainwater and groundwater into the system.

The project will replace deteriorated pipes and manholes.

The project will cost $375,000 over three years. The first phase is expected to cost about $125,000.

The total cost of wastewater division projects is $9.7 million with about $9.3 million already spent.

A company owned by peanut growers is planning to invest $64.3 million and bring 130 new jobs to Orangeburg County.

Portions of the new peanut shelling facility are expected to be operational by the spring of 2022.

“That is an investment made by peanut farmers,” Premium Peanut President and CEO Karl Zimmer said Wednesday.

“We are very much looking forward to working with growers and peanut farmers in South Carolina and welcoming them as part of Premium Peanut,” he said.

Zimmer made the announcement in front of a group of more 100 people at Palmetto Peanut Company in Calhoun County. Palmetto Peanut is the largest among the state’s 12 peanut buying stations.

Premium Peanut plans to invest $27.5 million in buildings and $36.8 million in equipment in Orangeburg County over the next five years. The company has not yet said where its new plant will be located.

It will be the state’s first peanut shelling plant.

Georgia-based Premium Peanut was founded in 2014. The company says it has one of the newest and largest peanut shelling facilities in the world.

The company began shelling peanuts in 2016 with about 140,000 tons in shelling capacity. The company has grown to a plant capacity of 300,000 tons, which is about 10% of the nation’s peanut crop.

The company has also operated an oil mill since 2018.

Premium Peanut now has more than $250 million in revenues.

“We have a problem,” Zimmer said. “We are out of capacity. The market is still growing and the opportunities are still growing.”

The company’s customers consist of major snack, candy and peanut butter manufacturers domestically, as well as customers in more than 30 countries around the world.

Premium Peanut is owned by over 400 peanut growers throughout Georgia and now South Carolina.

Zimmer said the company has been so successful that investors have made enough to pay back the initial investment and the stock value has doubled in seven years.

The company looked at multiple sites and states for its shelling facility before settling on Orangeburg County.

As part of its arrival in Orangeburg County, Premium Peanut has received a 30-year fee-in-lieu of taxes incentive.

It’s also been placed in a multi-county industrial park with Dorchester County. A multi-county industrial park is an incentive mechanism and is not a physical park.

The company also will receive job development tax credits.

S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster, who attended the announcement, said “When our people work, people want to invest in us, including Premium Peanut.

“That is why they are coming here – because it is about the people.”

McMaster presented the company with a brass plate with the state’s motto: “While I breathe, I hope.”

“These jobs will have above-average wages,” Orangeburg County Administrator Harold Young said. “It will also definitely be a benefit to the citizens of Orangeburg County.”

“We value our farmers and manufacturing in Orangeburg County,” Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said. “This is a perfect marriage and a one-of-a-kind facility in South Carolina.”

S.C. Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers said the project means “jobs and investment” in Orangeburg County, which will add to tax rolls and provide good-paying jobs.

Weathers said the shelling facility is just another opportunity to market one of the state’s star crops.

“Here is one more marketing opportunity because they will need more acreage of peanuts,” Weathers said.

Peanuts are currently purchased at a buying station. The S.C. Department of Agriculture grades the peanuts for the farmer.

“You have a dried peanut in storage,” Weathers explained. “Up until this investment, those peanuts would then be freighted to Virginia, North Carolina or Georgia for shelling and then for manufacturing into peanut products or a whole peanut.”

With the addition of the shelling plant, “the next level of value will now be in South Carolina, so that is tax revenue,” Weathers said.

“When agribusiness thrives, all of South Carolina benefits from it,” he said.

Weathers noted that 25 years ago, about 10,000 acres of peanuts were planted in the state. In 2002, federal legislation was amended and opened up more peanut opportunities for South Carolina farmers.

In 2017, about 120,000 acres were grown in the state.

Orangeburg County farmer Danny Mixon, a board member of Premium Peanut, has been growing peanuts in Orangeburg County since 1979.

“When I brought my peanuts to the buying point and I dumped them, all the money I could make was on how much I made, what price I got and how much I had in it,” Mixon said. Now farmers get to share in the profit.

“They are not captured by a market, because whatever the market is, they are going to share in it,” he said. “It makes a big difference for the farmer.”

“This is a dream come true,” Mixon continued. “We started a buying point when peanuts were in this area and now there is a tremendous amount of peanuts and three buying points.”

Orangeburg County Council Chairman Johnnie Wright said, “This is a team.”

“We all hope to benefit from this event in one way or the other. We are just grateful for the opportunity. Let’s keep Orangeburg moving forward,” he said.

Premium Peanut Chairman Ken Fountain said coming into South Carolina is a win.

Growers interested in learning more should contact the Palmetto Peanut buying point.

Individuals interested in joining Premium Peanut should visit the company’s careers webpage at https://secure6.saashr.com/ta/6154256.careers?CareersSearch