Orangeburg County industry grows globally

The Orangeburg County Development Commission is observing its 60th anniversary as the lead agency in recruiting jobs and growing the local economy. For more on the OCDC and Orangeburg County development history, see Pages A4 and A5.

Orangeburg County lifted another international flag on its industrial economic engine in 2011 when United Kingdom-based GKN Aerospace announced it would invest $38 million and create 278 new jobs over the next five years.

GKN Aerospace located in the 151,000-square-foot speculative building in the Orangeburg County/City Industrial Park on U.S. Highway 301. The building, constructed by Miller-Valentine Group, sits on 21 acres.

GKN initially focused on the manufacture of composite HondaJet fuselages as part of a contract with Honda Aircraft Co.

In June, GKN announced it has contracted with Boeing and will invest more than $20 million in a new manufacturing facility adjacent to its existing plant.

About 75 jobs will be added at the new facility, which will produce inlet lip skins for the Boeing 737 MAX and 777X.

GKN’s new operations are housed in the former Ecoscapes Composites LLC facility. First-part production from the building is scheduled for late 2016.

“GKN Aerospace I & II represents one of the true testaments to the Global Logistics Triangle (I-26, U.S. 301, I-95) in the last three years,” Orangeburg County Development Commission Executive Director Gregg Robinson said. “Their presence and success in Orangeburg sends a clear message to the aerospace industry that South Carolina and specifically Orangeburg County can produce a quality product.”

Robinson said that with its two locations, GKN now has about 280,000 square feet of manufacturing space in two separate locations in Orangeburg.

“We truly welcome both facilities and accept the challenge of producing quality Honda jet fuselages, winglets as well as the new plant which will produce the inlet lipskins of both the 737MAX, Triple 777X and 787 Dreamliner subassemblies,” Robinson said.

Robinson praised Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College for its role in training and preparing the workforce for the future of manufacturing.

GKN Aerospace has more than 10,000 employees, including more than 1,000 design engineers.

The last two years have seen two other international companies announce their intention to locate in the county.
Sigmatex

British carbon fiber textile manufacturer Sigmatex announced in October 2014 it will invest $12 million in a facility at the John W. Matthews Jr. Industrial Park.

Sigmatex Carbon Textile Solutions Inc. plans to create 50 new jobs at the Orangeburg County facility over the next five years. It is one of the largest projects the company has undertaken in its 28-year history.

The company develops and makes carbon fiber textiles for composite materials.

Ground was broken on the $6 million, 75,000-square-foot facility in January.

The facility is located near the entrance of the Matthews Industrial Park on about 20 acres.

Sigmatex president of U.S. operations Jonah Jimenez said the reason the company wanted to locate in Orangeburg was simple: “It came down to the people. We looked at three states … South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. We felt comfortable with the team you assembled to lure us.”

Jimenez said being on the East Coast is also a reason for choosing Orangeburg, as is proximity to the Port of Charleston.

“We are a global company,” Jimenez said. “We have operations in Europe and China.”

Jimenez said the growing carbon fiber and advanced-materials industrial base in the state is also attractive.

Sigmatex will move equipment into the building in September and begin operations in October. Currently, about 11 individuals have been hired with all beginning a month-long training at Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College.
Inbra Chemicals

Brazil-based Inbra Chemical Co. in April 2015 announced it will open its first manufacturing facility in the United States in Orangeburg.

Inbra has agreed to invest a minimum of $7.7 million and produce 14 jobs in Orangeburg over the next five years. The investment could reach $10 million and as many as 20 jobs could be created.

Inbra purchased 21.51 acres from The Oaks at Highway 21 and Gulbrandsen Road.

Operations are expected to begin during first quarter of 2016.

Inbra was founded in October 1939 in Brazil. It made products for the textile industry and, with the innovation of PVC piping, Inbra began the production of liquid and solid stabilizers using extracts from soybean oil and foaming agents.

The Orangeburg facility will specialize primarily in plasticizer production with a focus on the polyvinyl chloride market.
Capital project sales tax

Orangeburg County voters approved the continuation of the capital project sales tax, which has paid for improvements throughout the county.

The tax — approved by voters in 1998 and since approved two additional times, the most recent being in 2012 — has resulted in millions of dollars for the installation of water, sewer and other infrastructure.

For example, the money has gone toward infrastructure development in the western portion of the county for the future Neeses industrial park and the upgrade of the Interstate 95/U.S. 301 interchange near Santee.

Following is a look at other key industrial announcements during the past decade:
ECKA Granules

ECKA Granules, a German manufacturer of pure metallic powders, established its first North American production facility in Orangeburg in April 2006.

ECKA promised to invest $12 million and create 40 new jobs in Orangeburg over its first five years.

The metallic powders are used as raw materials in a variety of products ranging from inks, paints and chemical detergents to automobile parts.
Universal Trade Solutions

Maryland-based trucking, manufacturing and distribution company Universal Trade Solutions promised to invest about $10 million and employ at least 50 in the fall of 2011. The company said it would increase the number of employees to 100 within five years.

UTS, along with its affiliate Fraley & Schilling Inc., located in the former Applied Engineering building on Charleston Highway.
Walker Emulsions

Orangeburg County officials rolled out the red carpet in October 2014 for Canadian sealant manufacturer Walker Emulsions Inc.

Walker Emulsions agreed to create a minimum of 11 new jobs and invest $4.5 million at the 53,000-square-foot site it acquired in the Orangeburg County Industrial Park off U.S. 21. Valspar formerly occupied the building.

Walker Emulsions manufactures and distributes the company’s liquid-based solutions used in building products such as insulation and tiling.
Still-Walter Tools becomes Fabritech

Still-Walter Tools located in a 3,000-square-foot building in Orangeburg in 1960.

Still-Walter provided machining, fabrication and welding services for several industries.

In 2005, Still-Walter Tool was purchased by Illinois-based aircraft-component manufacturer Fabritech Inc. In 2010, Triumph Fabrications purchased Fabritech Inc.

Triumph Group Inc. designs, engineers, manufactures, repairs and overhauls aircraft components and accessories. Today, the company employs about 46.
ACO Warehousing and Distribution

ACO Distribution and Warehousing announced in March 2007 that it would invest $3.7 million and create 14 jobs in Orangeburg County over a two-year period in the former Velcorex Inc. and Greenwood Mills facility on Rowesville Road.

The company offers general merchandise storage, shipping and receiving, and import/export services. Today, the company employs 40.
Talley Manufacturing in Santee

Talley was founded about 40 years ago by Dave Talley, who was building custom rifles in the United States and internationally for those who wanted to hunt “dangerous” game and needed a better scope mount.

The company came to Santee in 2007 and today employs 12.
Sims Bark

In 2007, Sims Bark constructed a mill in Bowman.

The company invested $8.5 million in its new facility situated on about 138 acres at Arista Road and Landsdowne Road.

Sims Bark Company makes soil, mulch and bagged rocks. Today, the Bowman plant employs 45, according to the OCDC.
Monteferro America

Monteferro America, an international manufacturer of elevator guide rails, arrived to Orangeburg in October 2007.

The company invested $3.32 million and created 25 jobs over a five-year period with projections to possibly expand in the future. The company is located in the Orangeburg County/City Industrial Park.
Geocycle

Geocycle LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Holcim US (Inc.), was founded in 2002.

The company is a waste-management subsidiary of Holcim. It takes waste materials and uses them as engineering fuel at the Holly Hill Holcim cement plant.
Prime Materials Recovery

Prime Materials recovery added 20 new jobs to its plant in September 2013.

The company helps wire and cable manufacturers, utilities and dealers maximize resources through scrap recovery.

The Orangeburg plant employs 25.

Martin Marietta Minerals Inc.

The company announced an $11 million expansion in 2006, including equipment and machinery, at its plant on the Orangeburg-Berkeley county line.

Martin Marietta is a leading producer of construction aggregates and magnesia-based chemical products.