SC Now Staff
Florence Morning News
Published: April 22, 2011
Click here to be taken to the article at www.scnow.com.
The reality of an Interstate 73 took another leap forward Thursday when the S.C. Department of Transportation’s highway commission voted to spend $105 million to start construction on the Interstate 95-to-Latta portion of the freeway.
The commission action, celebrated in a press release Friday by the National I-73/74/75 Corridor Association, came in the form of a resolution seeking permission to sell $290 million in state roads. The I-73 piece is the largest part of the request. All of it is subject to review by the Joint Bond Review Committee. More public hearings will be a part of that process.
The centerpiece of the I-73 funding will be the interchange at I-95, dubbed by some pro-73 groups the “Interchange of Hope.” The state money will follow the first part of the funding, which came from an earmark, followed by state infrastructure grant money and, more recently, a $10 million federal TIGER (Transportation Generating Economic Recovery) grant. The TIGER grant is part of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.
Supporters of the I-73 project, which will link Myrtle Beach and the Pee with the Midwest all the way to Michigan, were jubilant at the news.
"Approval of the Dillon County interchange is great news and the result of a collaborative group effort,” state Rep. Alan Clemmons, chairman of the National I-73/74/75 Corridor Association, said.
Added Brad Dean, president/executive director of the association and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, “This is great news for I-73. What it tells us is it’s no longer a matter of if it will be built, but when it will be built. I think we’re certainly a lot closer to having interstate access along the grand strand than ever before.”
Jeff McKay, executive director of the North Eastern Strategic Alliance, an economic recruiter for northeastern South Carolina, said, “It’s a statement. We won’t get this (I-73) done with state money alone. So this lets the federal people know that we’re serious, we’re moving along on this project.”
The interstate, from Myrtle Beach to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., could take 10 years or more to complete. It would cross six states — Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and the Carolinas — and cover 80 miles in four South Carolina counties: Dillon, Marlboro, Marion and Horry. The complete I-73 project, which includes road improvement from the North Carolina state line to Horry County, will span 44 miles and is expected to affect 81 homes and 71 businesses.
The project is expected to a huge economic generator. According to an economic impact study conducted by former Coastal Carolina University Research Economist Dr. Donald Schunk, the construction of I-73 in can be expected to create a total of 7,718 jobs, including new construction jobs and jobs generated regionally through economic ripple effects. The study also concludes that over a full construction phase of five years, a total of 38,600 positions would be supported and nearly $1.4 billion in household income would be generated.
The corridor would also open up areas of Marlboro, Dillon and Marion counties — three counties that consistently have some of the highest unemployment rates in the state — to industrial development as well as road construction jobs.
It also would be the first interstate link to Myrtle Beach, the heart of the state’s $16 billion tourism industry. In addition, I-73 is expected to cut hurricane evacuation times from the Grand Strand by 11 to 15 hours.
Funding approval by state officials didn’t come without objections.
SCDOT commissioner Sarah Nuckles voted against the funding package that included the I-95/73 interchange. The State newspaper in Columbia also reported Coastal Conservation League officials objected to funding the project over roads that ranked higher on the state’s transportation priorities list.
Dean was critical of the project’s naysayers.
“I haven’t figured out what Mrs. Nuckles and the opponents don’t like — more jobs, more industry, more tourists or maybe they just don’t want to save lives in the event of a hurricane,” Dean said.
The new road has also been touted as a much more efficient hurricane evacuation route.
"We’re not sure what they don’t like,” Dean said, “because we think all those are worthy goals for I-73.”
NESA, the state General Assembly, the S.C. Congressional Delegation, along with the Obama Administration through the TIGER grant, all aided the success of this latest project by helping to secure funding for the interchange in Dillon County, I-73 proponents said.
“The focus now will be on securing funding in the upcoming (federal) Highway Reauthorization Bill, where one of the most important things will be to make sure that we have a presence in Washington to emphasize our investment in the project and highlight the positive economic impact it would have it terms of attracting business and creating jobs,” Clemmons said.
There are four phases of I-73 that South Carolina is responsible for building. One portion, designated S.C. 22, is already completed and runs from U.S. 501 between Conway and Aynor in an arc to North Myrtle Beach.
Other portions will run from the North Carolina line at Wallace, from I-95 to Latta and from Latta to Galivants Ferry. The Latta-to-Galivants Ferry portion is the only portion without funding.
Dean said the next step in the I-73 process will be to get the construction going, create desperately-needed jobs in the Pee Dee and start working on building the next portion of the interstate.
Once the portion to Latta is complete, a 30-mile gap to Galivants Ferry will remain to complete the link between I-95 and Myrtle Beach, he said.
Before state officials approving the interchange funding, federal highway funding had been a challenge. Now, with the road under construction, getting federal funding should be much easier, Dean said.
“Now that we’ll have progress under way and we’re only talking about how to connect pieces, we’re much better positioned to get more of our tax dollars from the federal government back here, create jobs and build I-73 sooner than later,” he said.
The next step for state officials will be the political equivalent of a full-court press.
"We’ll be leading a large group from the Grand Strand and Pee Dee to go up to Washington in early May; that was already planned,” Dean said. That will be just a part of leaders’ plans to maintain a presence in Washington to lobby for the interstate.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
NESA Aims to Capitalize on Region's Transportation Options
By: Conan Gasque
Published by the Florence Morning News, April 21, 2011.
Hop on Interstate 95 and you could end up anywhere from Miami to Maine.
But officials with the North Eastern Strategic Alliance (NESA) hope to ride this highway to economic success over the next few years.
Officials with NESA, an economic development organization that serves a nine-county region in northeastern South Carolina, said the presence of major highways like I-95 and I-20 could help them attract thousands of jobs to the area.
That’s because interstates like these are particularly appealing to distribution companies, and that’s why NESA had made these businesses one of its main targets for future development.
“A company’s chief goal is to get products into a consumer’s hands as quickly as possible,” said Jeff McKay, NESA’s executive director.
Friday’s news that $105 million in additional key funding has been secured for the I-73 interchange at I-95 in Latta surely will add to the region’s appeal, McKay said.
"Any company looking to relocate here with logistic concerns, and that’s just about everybody, is going to notice this,” he said. “We’ve already got 20 and 95 and if you add 73 going into Michigan, that’s pretty impressive. It adds to our advantages in this area.”
The Pee Dee and Grand Strand have multiple advantages over other parts of the country when helping companies reach that goal, he said.
McKay estimates that distribution centers located in the region could extend products to 60 percent of the country’s population within a day’s truck drive.
That might not be so easy at distributions centers in major cities, which tend to have major traffic problems, he said.
“We’re building a case here to say that we aren’t a congested market,” McKay said. “We’re a great location for any logistics-type company that you're looking for, because we don't have that congestion.”
But highways aren’t the only route for distributing goods. There’s also rail, air and ports, all of which exist in or near the NESA region.
“I think we have all the things in place; it’s a matter of taking advantage of the resources we have, going out marketing, getting in front of the right folks, and getting (them) to do business here,” McKay said.
That’s something he said the region probably hasn’t done aggressively enough with distribution centers in the past. In spite of that, a handful of centers already exist within the region, like QVC and IFC in Florence, Harbor Freight in Dillon and Walmart’s distribution center in Chesterfield.
These centers serve as examples that logistics and distribution industries can succeed within the NESA region.
“Anytime you’re talking to someone, they want to see a proven track record,” McKay said. “And I think you can look at the success of the other distribution companies that we have in the region, and if they can’t help us sell this area, then we’re never going to be successful.”
Beyond transportation methods, though, the region possesses another advantageous characteristic: geography. Its central location along the east coast makes distribution to many larger cities relatively easy.
And the region’s reach grows even more in the next few years as construction begins on I-73. The interstate, from Myrtle Beach to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., could take at least 10 years to complete. It would cross six states — Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and the Carolinas — and cover 80 miles in four South Carolina counties: Marlboro, Dillon, Marion and Horry.
At a cost of $2 billion, it will be the first interstate link to Myrtle Beach, the heart of the state’s $16 billion tourism industry. Some say it also could cut hurricane evacuation times from the Grand Strand by 11 to 15 hours.
"I-73 will give us an ultimate access into the Michigan area,” McKay said. “So that’s just another added benefit or added asset on the existing infrastructure that we’re able to offer.”
Published by the Florence Morning News, April 21, 2011.
Hop on Interstate 95 and you could end up anywhere from Miami to Maine.
But officials with the North Eastern Strategic Alliance (NESA) hope to ride this highway to economic success over the next few years.
Officials with NESA, an economic development organization that serves a nine-county region in northeastern South Carolina, said the presence of major highways like I-95 and I-20 could help them attract thousands of jobs to the area.
That’s because interstates like these are particularly appealing to distribution companies, and that’s why NESA had made these businesses one of its main targets for future development.
“A company’s chief goal is to get products into a consumer’s hands as quickly as possible,” said Jeff McKay, NESA’s executive director.
Friday’s news that $105 million in additional key funding has been secured for the I-73 interchange at I-95 in Latta surely will add to the region’s appeal, McKay said.
"Any company looking to relocate here with logistic concerns, and that’s just about everybody, is going to notice this,” he said. “We’ve already got 20 and 95 and if you add 73 going into Michigan, that’s pretty impressive. It adds to our advantages in this area.”
The Pee Dee and Grand Strand have multiple advantages over other parts of the country when helping companies reach that goal, he said.
McKay estimates that distribution centers located in the region could extend products to 60 percent of the country’s population within a day’s truck drive.
That might not be so easy at distributions centers in major cities, which tend to have major traffic problems, he said.
“We’re building a case here to say that we aren’t a congested market,” McKay said. “We’re a great location for any logistics-type company that you're looking for, because we don't have that congestion.”
But highways aren’t the only route for distributing goods. There’s also rail, air and ports, all of which exist in or near the NESA region.
“I think we have all the things in place; it’s a matter of taking advantage of the resources we have, going out marketing, getting in front of the right folks, and getting (them) to do business here,” McKay said.
That’s something he said the region probably hasn’t done aggressively enough with distribution centers in the past. In spite of that, a handful of centers already exist within the region, like QVC and IFC in Florence, Harbor Freight in Dillon and Walmart’s distribution center in Chesterfield.
These centers serve as examples that logistics and distribution industries can succeed within the NESA region.
“Anytime you’re talking to someone, they want to see a proven track record,” McKay said. “And I think you can look at the success of the other distribution companies that we have in the region, and if they can’t help us sell this area, then we’re never going to be successful.”
Beyond transportation methods, though, the region possesses another advantageous characteristic: geography. Its central location along the east coast makes distribution to many larger cities relatively easy.
And the region’s reach grows even more in the next few years as construction begins on I-73. The interstate, from Myrtle Beach to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., could take at least 10 years to complete. It would cross six states — Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and the Carolinas — and cover 80 miles in four South Carolina counties: Marlboro, Dillon, Marion and Horry.
At a cost of $2 billion, it will be the first interstate link to Myrtle Beach, the heart of the state’s $16 billion tourism industry. Some say it also could cut hurricane evacuation times from the Grand Strand by 11 to 15 hours.
"I-73 will give us an ultimate access into the Michigan area,” McKay said. “So that’s just another added benefit or added asset on the existing infrastructure that we’re able to offer.”
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
3V Incorporated Announces Expansion in Georgetown County
Gov. Nikki Haley, the South Carolina Department of Commerce and Georgetown County today announced that 3V Incorporated will expand its operations in Georgetown County. The plan includes a $15 million investment and the creation of 30 new jobs over the next five years.
“South Carolina has been home to our operations for a number of years and we look forward to increasing our presence here. Georgetown County has been an excellent fit for our company, providing a positive business environment, a talented workforce and exceptional market access. We appreciate the support we have received from state and local officials in making this expansion a reality,” said Reed Barker, logistics manager for 3V Incorporated.
3V Incorporated, a manufacturer of specialty chemicals, will expand its chemical manufacturing facility in Georgetown.
“Encouraging investment and expansion that create jobs across South Carolina is our administration's focus day in and day out, so this announcement by 3V is not only welcome news – it's a reason to celebrate,” said Gov. Nikki Haley.
“3V Incorporated is a leading maker of specialty chemicals with clients around the globe. The company has also been part of the state’s business community for a number of years. This expansion reaffirms the company’s commitment to our state and serves as another indication that our state’s business-friendly climate and strong workforce are helping our state’s existing businesses grow and create jobs for South Carolinians,” said Bobby Hitt, Secretary of Commerce.
“We are pleased 3V Inc. will be investing capital resources and creating new engineering and skilled technician positions in Georgetown County. They have discovered that a qualified workforce exists in our community that enables them to be successful here,” Georgetown County Council Chairman Johnny Morant said. “Helping existing industries prosper and create jobs for our residents is important to Georgetown County. 3V Inc.’s expansion demonstrates their commitment to research and development in their field of specialty chemicals. Since coming to Georgetown County they have utilized their research center at their Georgetown facility to develop state of the art products serving the paper, detergent, textile, cosmetic, water treatment and plastics industries. We support their efforts to grow here and create exciting opportunities for our residents.”
“For Georgetown this is great news, especially for those residents who are unemployed. These new jobs are just what we need,” said state Rep. Carl L. Anderson. “I am very proud of 3V Inc. and their decision to make improvements to their facility and to hire more employees.”
3V Incorporated is a manufacturer of specialty chemicals used in a range of industries, in particular, for detergent, cosmetic, toiletry, paper and pharmaceutical markets. The company is a subsidiary of the 3V Group. For more information about the company, please visit www.3v.com.
Monday, December 13, 2010
Cure for the no-Roche blues
Miracle drugs roll off the assembly line at Roche Carolina’s plant east of Florence by the thousands every day. The 300,000-square foot facility’s lineup of high-tech drugs includes pills that fight cancer, hepatitis, the flu and even (in the recent past, anyway) unwanted fat.
Too bad there’s nothing for depression.
Local leaders could have used a dose or two that fateful day last month when they learned the international pharmaceutical conglomerate that owns Roche Carolina — the Swiss-based company known simply as Roche — planned to “divest” itself of its lone, but considerable, Pee Dee holding. In one fell, highly unexpected swoop, the gem of Florence’s industrial crown, the linchpin of a nascent “pharmaceutical cluster,” a star among local corporate citizens, was gone.
“It was like, ‘bam!’ and suddenly everything you thought you know about development here had changed,” said Dr. Fred Carter, president of Francis Marion University. “It was quite a blow.”
And yet, all is not lost. The news was, and is, disturbing; the potential of a Roche-less future unsettling.
But in the wake of it all there is some good news amidst the gloom. As it turns out, there may be a cure for the no-Roche blues.
Surprisingly — or perhaps not — the key ingredient in the potential cure is the Florence plant itself. A shiny, high-tech marvel of modern pharmaceutical manufacturing genius, it is, as it turns out, just too useful, too valuable, to disappear into the abyss of corporate profit taking.
No one understands this better than Florence’s Don Herriott, who managed the plant for Roche Carolina from 1996 until 2008 (the plant was his only responsibility until 2004; after then, he managed it along with six other Roche properties). Herriott, the key cog in the three-man task force — which includes Carter — appointed by state Sen. Hugh Leatherman of Florence to help look after community interests while Roche goes through its sale process, said during an extensive interview last week he’s upbeat about prospects for finding what local leaders would call “the right buyer.”
“There’s more reason to be optimistic than not,” Herriott said. “There won’t be a (new) company that’s a 100 percent fit, but there will be some that are close and when you find that you can make a deal. … Will this be easy? No. But is the idea viable? Absolutely.”
More evidence is that in the wake of the big, mid-November announcement, Herriott and company began fielding some calls. Interested buyers, most of whom were alerted by Herriott’s reach out calls to his industry contacts, were on the line wanting to know more.
“We had some inquiries right away,” said Herriott. “We told them, ‘Hold on. You’ve got to wait for Roche to get all of its ducks in a row, wait for what we imagine will be a formal bid process to begin. But we’ll keep you on the list.’ … And, frankly, we had a few other calls that, well, let’s just say we haven’t returned them yet.”
Amongst the latter were investment groups who would eye any distressed, or semi-distressed sale property with the hungry glare of an underfed vulture. To them the Florence plant would be a carcass to be picked over, something that could be bought for the sum of its parts (or, more to the point, the sums a buyer could get by selling off the parts). That might produce some fast cash, but Florence officials want no part of a dismemberment like that.
And, as Herriott executive sees it, neither would Roche.
Roche, theorizes Herriott, probably needs to keep making several of the drugs it makes here for at least the next two or three years. Xeloda, its breast and colo-rectal cancer drug, and Tamiflu, the well-known flu fighter, are too important — and particularly in the case of Xeloda, too profitable — for the company to risk a long-term shut down in the supply line.
“If Roche did something to create a shortage (of Xeloda) that would be a tremendous blow to its reputation and credibility,” Herriott said. “It’s just not something that you would do. And, it’s a $1 billion or so a year sales stream. You’re not going to turn your back on that. Even a short outage of production would be a tremendous blow, a tremendous risk, to Roche. So, there’s really not much risk of Roche wanting to find the quick money.”
Roche would prefer a buyer that would simply continue to operate the plant the way it is being operated. The new company would make the same drugs Roche is making, probably with most of the same people doing the work, and then sell them to Roche for public sale and distribution. This is the scenario Roche spokesman Pete Mazzaroni calls the “badge and logo change.” Roche employees would leave work one day wearing Roche insignia in its trademark blue, then show up the next (figuratively speaking) wearing another logo and color, belonging to a new company doing the same work.
This sort of arrangement, known as contract manufacturing, is a trend with considerable momentum in the pharmaceutical industry. Some estimates suggest that the contract manufacturing business, handled by generally unknown but often-massive companies like Dutch-based DSM, already is a $100 billion a year business. That’s a tenth or more of the global pharmaceutical total. DSM churns out an ever-changing array of pharmaceuticals at its 1.5-million square foot facility in Greenville, N.C.
Herriott said Roche’s decision to divest itself of a valuable asset like the Florence plant makes some sense as a part of a new, strategic direction toward more contract work. That Roche would be changing direction is no surprise to industry observers. The giant multi-national (it’s the third- or fourth-largest pharmaceutical firm in the world) has just gone through a regime change. CEO Dr. Severin Schwan took the reins of the Roche Group in 2008.
Serendipitously, Roche’s transitional need should act as an enticement to several kinds of buyers. A contract manufacturer looking to expand or upgrade its facility inventory could buy Roche’s Florence plant, secure in the knowledge that it had several years’ worth of demand already in place. Similarly, a drug company looking for more future capacity, could buy the plant and produce Roche products for a few years while finishing development of a new line or building sales volumes. Roche would need a minimum of two to three years to transfer its manufacturing to other sites, and might prefer not to move at all. The patents on Xeloda expire in 2013-14. The patents on Tamiflu expire in 2016.
The Florence plant is the only plant Roche plant registered to produce Capecitabine, the active ingredient in Xeloda, although Herriott said Roche had one or two other facilities that could handle it. Roche Carolina is the only U.S. plant registered to produce Oseltamivir Phosphate, the active ingredient in Tamiflu. That’s important for two reasons: Roche has no immediate option for producing that drug, and creating one won’t be easy. Roche’s next-best company-owned production options are overseas and the U.S. government is clear that it wants a secure, U.S. source of the anti-flu medicine, in case of an epidemic.
But while the current specialties of Roche’s Florence plant make it attractive to a buyer, it is technically attractive because of its flexibility. It was designed to minimize re-tooling costs and time. Mazzaroni said various design elements allow Roche to “‘re-plumb’ the plant in a much shorter period than it would take to re-configure a ‘dedicated’ manufacturing plant.”
Said Herriott, “It’s really a beautiful plant, especially to a chemical engineer.”
There also is room for additional expansion at the plant. While the plant appears enormous to the laymen’s eye, looming off in the distance from the public view on Old Marion Highway, it is not especially large for a pharmaceutical plant. And it is small in the overall world of biochemical manufactories. But the land that comes with the site, and the way the plant was sited on that land, would make expansion relatively easy (but not cheap). That’s probably more important to any chemical companies interested in entering the Florence plant sweepstakes. Herriott and others say a chemical buyer does not appear to be the best fit, but because machinery and techniques in the two industries are similar, that’s one additional possibility.
The are other positives to the campaign for a “good” sale. The factors that brought Roche to Florence in the first place — economical labor, location at a transportation nexus — are still in place. So are the tax incentive deals. Roche pays about $2.25 million in total property taxes per year through its fee-in-lieu-of arrangement, some 50 percent less than the amount stipulated in state tax codes. County administrator Richard Starks said all of Roche’s fee-in-lieu of agreements are transferable to a new buyer.
Finally, said Dr. Charles Gould of Florence-Darlington Tech, the third member of the task force, there is the almost too-good-to-be-true availability of Herriott to lead the local interest group. His knowledge of the industry, and specifically of Roche, is unparalleled, his contacts in the industry can, or already have, essentially created a worldwide network of “real estate agents” for the Florence plant, and he was available, having chosen to live in Florence after leaving Roche.
“He (Herriott) is the man, no doubt about it,” Gould said. “Dr. Carter and I know about as much about running pharmaceutical plants as we do about running Division I football programs.”
Neither Florence-Darlington Tech nor FMU have football teams of any kind.
For his part, Herriott admits he’s not exactly plowing new ground. During his Roche days, he sold two others plants: one in Mexico and one in Austria.
“Plants do change hands, so it’s not that big a deal in some ways,” he said. “There will be buyers. We just need to be selective.”
Perhaps Herriott’s considered advice will sound like immediate relief to shell-shocked Florentines in need of some positive Roche. For the time being, most are just grasping at straws and miracle cures.
At the annual Christmas party at Carter’s FMU presidential residence this week, a well-heeled partygoer on her way out wished the host a merry Christmas and extended her hopes for an improved new year.
“I’m just hoping that we’ll wake up one day and you’ll have made this whole Roche thing go away,” she said.
Carter smiled his famous smile and said, “I hope so, too.”
Too bad there’s nothing for depression.
Local leaders could have used a dose or two that fateful day last month when they learned the international pharmaceutical conglomerate that owns Roche Carolina — the Swiss-based company known simply as Roche — planned to “divest” itself of its lone, but considerable, Pee Dee holding. In one fell, highly unexpected swoop, the gem of Florence’s industrial crown, the linchpin of a nascent “pharmaceutical cluster,” a star among local corporate citizens, was gone.
“It was like, ‘bam!’ and suddenly everything you thought you know about development here had changed,” said Dr. Fred Carter, president of Francis Marion University. “It was quite a blow.”
And yet, all is not lost. The news was, and is, disturbing; the potential of a Roche-less future unsettling.
But in the wake of it all there is some good news amidst the gloom. As it turns out, there may be a cure for the no-Roche blues.
Surprisingly — or perhaps not — the key ingredient in the potential cure is the Florence plant itself. A shiny, high-tech marvel of modern pharmaceutical manufacturing genius, it is, as it turns out, just too useful, too valuable, to disappear into the abyss of corporate profit taking.
No one understands this better than Florence’s Don Herriott, who managed the plant for Roche Carolina from 1996 until 2008 (the plant was his only responsibility until 2004; after then, he managed it along with six other Roche properties). Herriott, the key cog in the three-man task force — which includes Carter — appointed by state Sen. Hugh Leatherman of Florence to help look after community interests while Roche goes through its sale process, said during an extensive interview last week he’s upbeat about prospects for finding what local leaders would call “the right buyer.”
“There’s more reason to be optimistic than not,” Herriott said. “There won’t be a (new) company that’s a 100 percent fit, but there will be some that are close and when you find that you can make a deal. … Will this be easy? No. But is the idea viable? Absolutely.”
More evidence is that in the wake of the big, mid-November announcement, Herriott and company began fielding some calls. Interested buyers, most of whom were alerted by Herriott’s reach out calls to his industry contacts, were on the line wanting to know more.
“We had some inquiries right away,” said Herriott. “We told them, ‘Hold on. You’ve got to wait for Roche to get all of its ducks in a row, wait for what we imagine will be a formal bid process to begin. But we’ll keep you on the list.’ … And, frankly, we had a few other calls that, well, let’s just say we haven’t returned them yet.”
Amongst the latter were investment groups who would eye any distressed, or semi-distressed sale property with the hungry glare of an underfed vulture. To them the Florence plant would be a carcass to be picked over, something that could be bought for the sum of its parts (or, more to the point, the sums a buyer could get by selling off the parts). That might produce some fast cash, but Florence officials want no part of a dismemberment like that.
And, as Herriott executive sees it, neither would Roche.
Roche, theorizes Herriott, probably needs to keep making several of the drugs it makes here for at least the next two or three years. Xeloda, its breast and colo-rectal cancer drug, and Tamiflu, the well-known flu fighter, are too important — and particularly in the case of Xeloda, too profitable — for the company to risk a long-term shut down in the supply line.
“If Roche did something to create a shortage (of Xeloda) that would be a tremendous blow to its reputation and credibility,” Herriott said. “It’s just not something that you would do. And, it’s a $1 billion or so a year sales stream. You’re not going to turn your back on that. Even a short outage of production would be a tremendous blow, a tremendous risk, to Roche. So, there’s really not much risk of Roche wanting to find the quick money.”
Roche would prefer a buyer that would simply continue to operate the plant the way it is being operated. The new company would make the same drugs Roche is making, probably with most of the same people doing the work, and then sell them to Roche for public sale and distribution. This is the scenario Roche spokesman Pete Mazzaroni calls the “badge and logo change.” Roche employees would leave work one day wearing Roche insignia in its trademark blue, then show up the next (figuratively speaking) wearing another logo and color, belonging to a new company doing the same work.
This sort of arrangement, known as contract manufacturing, is a trend with considerable momentum in the pharmaceutical industry. Some estimates suggest that the contract manufacturing business, handled by generally unknown but often-massive companies like Dutch-based DSM, already is a $100 billion a year business. That’s a tenth or more of the global pharmaceutical total. DSM churns out an ever-changing array of pharmaceuticals at its 1.5-million square foot facility in Greenville, N.C.
Herriott said Roche’s decision to divest itself of a valuable asset like the Florence plant makes some sense as a part of a new, strategic direction toward more contract work. That Roche would be changing direction is no surprise to industry observers. The giant multi-national (it’s the third- or fourth-largest pharmaceutical firm in the world) has just gone through a regime change. CEO Dr. Severin Schwan took the reins of the Roche Group in 2008.
Serendipitously, Roche’s transitional need should act as an enticement to several kinds of buyers. A contract manufacturer looking to expand or upgrade its facility inventory could buy Roche’s Florence plant, secure in the knowledge that it had several years’ worth of demand already in place. Similarly, a drug company looking for more future capacity, could buy the plant and produce Roche products for a few years while finishing development of a new line or building sales volumes. Roche would need a minimum of two to three years to transfer its manufacturing to other sites, and might prefer not to move at all. The patents on Xeloda expire in 2013-14. The patents on Tamiflu expire in 2016.
The Florence plant is the only plant Roche plant registered to produce Capecitabine, the active ingredient in Xeloda, although Herriott said Roche had one or two other facilities that could handle it. Roche Carolina is the only U.S. plant registered to produce Oseltamivir Phosphate, the active ingredient in Tamiflu. That’s important for two reasons: Roche has no immediate option for producing that drug, and creating one won’t be easy. Roche’s next-best company-owned production options are overseas and the U.S. government is clear that it wants a secure, U.S. source of the anti-flu medicine, in case of an epidemic.
But while the current specialties of Roche’s Florence plant make it attractive to a buyer, it is technically attractive because of its flexibility. It was designed to minimize re-tooling costs and time. Mazzaroni said various design elements allow Roche to “‘re-plumb’ the plant in a much shorter period than it would take to re-configure a ‘dedicated’ manufacturing plant.”
Said Herriott, “It’s really a beautiful plant, especially to a chemical engineer.”
There also is room for additional expansion at the plant. While the plant appears enormous to the laymen’s eye, looming off in the distance from the public view on Old Marion Highway, it is not especially large for a pharmaceutical plant. And it is small in the overall world of biochemical manufactories. But the land that comes with the site, and the way the plant was sited on that land, would make expansion relatively easy (but not cheap). That’s probably more important to any chemical companies interested in entering the Florence plant sweepstakes. Herriott and others say a chemical buyer does not appear to be the best fit, but because machinery and techniques in the two industries are similar, that’s one additional possibility.
The are other positives to the campaign for a “good” sale. The factors that brought Roche to Florence in the first place — economical labor, location at a transportation nexus — are still in place. So are the tax incentive deals. Roche pays about $2.25 million in total property taxes per year through its fee-in-lieu-of arrangement, some 50 percent less than the amount stipulated in state tax codes. County administrator Richard Starks said all of Roche’s fee-in-lieu of agreements are transferable to a new buyer.
Finally, said Dr. Charles Gould of Florence-Darlington Tech, the third member of the task force, there is the almost too-good-to-be-true availability of Herriott to lead the local interest group. His knowledge of the industry, and specifically of Roche, is unparalleled, his contacts in the industry can, or already have, essentially created a worldwide network of “real estate agents” for the Florence plant, and he was available, having chosen to live in Florence after leaving Roche.
“He (Herriott) is the man, no doubt about it,” Gould said. “Dr. Carter and I know about as much about running pharmaceutical plants as we do about running Division I football programs.”
Neither Florence-Darlington Tech nor FMU have football teams of any kind.
For his part, Herriott admits he’s not exactly plowing new ground. During his Roche days, he sold two others plants: one in Mexico and one in Austria.
“Plants do change hands, so it’s not that big a deal in some ways,” he said. “There will be buyers. We just need to be selective.”
Perhaps Herriott’s considered advice will sound like immediate relief to shell-shocked Florentines in need of some positive Roche. For the time being, most are just grasping at straws and miracle cures.
At the annual Christmas party at Carter’s FMU presidential residence this week, a well-heeled partygoer on her way out wished the host a merry Christmas and extended her hopes for an improved new year.
“I’m just hoping that we’ll wake up one day and you’ll have made this whole Roche thing go away,” she said.
Carter smiled his famous smile and said, “I hope so, too.”
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
I.T.I. Hydraulik Announces New Facility in Williamsburg County
The South Carolina Department of Commerce, Williamsburg County, Georgetown County and the North Eastern Strategic Alliance (NESA) today announced that I.T.I. Hydraulik, a maker of hydraulic cylinders and power units for elevators, will establish its new facility in Williamsburg County, near the border with Georgetown County. The $1 million investment is expected to generate 30 new jobs.
“We are excited about opening our new facility in South Carolina. Demand for our products and services continues to increase, and this new facility will help us meet current demand and position us for future growth. Williamsburg County provided us with an excellent location and both Williamsburg and Georgetown counties have a workforce that will suit our needs. We truly appreciate all the support we have received from state and local officials,” said Jean-Jacques Fremeaux, general manager for I.T.I. Hydraulik.
“We are very pleased to open operations in South Carolina, which will allow us to bring our products to the growing Southeast U.S. market,” added I.T.I. Hydraulik President Jean Mailhot and Vice President Robert Mailhot.
I.T.I. Hydraulik USA will locate its new manufacturing facility in Williamsburg County, which will be the company’s first U.S. facility. The company plans to occupy the former Cannon Knits building located at 207 Seaboard Road in Andrews.
“South Carolina’s manufacturing sector continues to present great opportunities for our state. I.T.I. Hydraulik’s investment in Williamsburg County is a nice example of how an adaptive reuse and an existing skilled workforce can be successful drivers in attracting new investment. These assets, coupled with our state’s business-friendly climate, allow South Carolina to be highly competitive in today's economy,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce.
“We are certainly pleased that I.T.I. Hydraulik has selected our area for its American location. The company has made a significant investment into this project and thirty jobs will be created from this venture. We are delighted to have participated in this project with our neighboring county of Georgetown. Partnerships are created to benefit all parties involved and we are delighted about the possibilities. The collaboration of the SCDOC, NESA, Palmetto Economic Development and many other allies connected with this process has insured the project’s success,” said Stanley S. Pasley, Williamsburg County supervisor and chairman of Williamsburg County Council.
“Georgetown County is extremely happy I.T.I. Hydraulik has decided to locate in Andrews along the border of Williamsburg and Georgetown counties. Local residents will be excited to work for a quality Canadian manufacturer such as I.T.I. Hydraulik. Their selection demonstrates the fact that our area offers a world-class business climate to prospective industries,” said Georgetown County Council Chairman Johnny Morant.
“On behalf of the nine-county alliance that comprises NESA, we would certainly like to welcome I.T.I. Hydraulik into our region. This Canadian company is another example of the fine corporate neighbors that we are diligently striving to attract. Both the additional tax base and the employment opportunities are certainly appreciated. We are proud to have participated in this site selection which will benefit both Williamsburg County and Georgetown County as well as the entire NESA region,” said state Sen. John Yancey McGill, chairman of the NESA.
“We’re happy to see this project come to fruition,” said Jeff Ruble, director of business recruitment for the South Carolina Power Team. “We welcome them to South Carolina and wish them great success here.”
The company plans to begin hiring for the positions immediately. Anyone interested in job opportunities with the company should contact the Kingstree Workforce Center located at 530 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. at 843-354-7436, or the Georgetown Workforce Center located at 2704 Highmarket St. at 843-546-8581. Additionally, information on jobs will be posted at www.sctechjobs.com. The company will be hiring for machinist, welder and assembler positions.
Canada-based I.T.I. Hydraulik, founded in 1983, designs and manufactures high-quality cylinders and power units for use in elevator systems and offers superior technical support to its customers. The company also manufactures cylinders of all sizes for special applications, and is specialized in the repair of all kinds of hydraulic cylinders. The company serves clients throughout North America. For more information about the company, please visit www.itihydraulik.com.
“We are excited about opening our new facility in South Carolina. Demand for our products and services continues to increase, and this new facility will help us meet current demand and position us for future growth. Williamsburg County provided us with an excellent location and both Williamsburg and Georgetown counties have a workforce that will suit our needs. We truly appreciate all the support we have received from state and local officials,” said Jean-Jacques Fremeaux, general manager for I.T.I. Hydraulik.
“We are very pleased to open operations in South Carolina, which will allow us to bring our products to the growing Southeast U.S. market,” added I.T.I. Hydraulik President Jean Mailhot and Vice President Robert Mailhot.
I.T.I. Hydraulik USA will locate its new manufacturing facility in Williamsburg County, which will be the company’s first U.S. facility. The company plans to occupy the former Cannon Knits building located at 207 Seaboard Road in Andrews.
“South Carolina’s manufacturing sector continues to present great opportunities for our state. I.T.I. Hydraulik’s investment in Williamsburg County is a nice example of how an adaptive reuse and an existing skilled workforce can be successful drivers in attracting new investment. These assets, coupled with our state’s business-friendly climate, allow South Carolina to be highly competitive in today's economy,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce.
“We are certainly pleased that I.T.I. Hydraulik has selected our area for its American location. The company has made a significant investment into this project and thirty jobs will be created from this venture. We are delighted to have participated in this project with our neighboring county of Georgetown. Partnerships are created to benefit all parties involved and we are delighted about the possibilities. The collaboration of the SCDOC, NESA, Palmetto Economic Development and many other allies connected with this process has insured the project’s success,” said Stanley S. Pasley, Williamsburg County supervisor and chairman of Williamsburg County Council.
“Georgetown County is extremely happy I.T.I. Hydraulik has decided to locate in Andrews along the border of Williamsburg and Georgetown counties. Local residents will be excited to work for a quality Canadian manufacturer such as I.T.I. Hydraulik. Their selection demonstrates the fact that our area offers a world-class business climate to prospective industries,” said Georgetown County Council Chairman Johnny Morant.
“On behalf of the nine-county alliance that comprises NESA, we would certainly like to welcome I.T.I. Hydraulik into our region. This Canadian company is another example of the fine corporate neighbors that we are diligently striving to attract. Both the additional tax base and the employment opportunities are certainly appreciated. We are proud to have participated in this site selection which will benefit both Williamsburg County and Georgetown County as well as the entire NESA region,” said state Sen. John Yancey McGill, chairman of the NESA.
“We’re happy to see this project come to fruition,” said Jeff Ruble, director of business recruitment for the South Carolina Power Team. “We welcome them to South Carolina and wish them great success here.”
The company plans to begin hiring for the positions immediately. Anyone interested in job opportunities with the company should contact the Kingstree Workforce Center located at 530 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. at 843-354-7436, or the Georgetown Workforce Center located at 2704 Highmarket St. at 843-546-8581. Additionally, information on jobs will be posted at www.sctechjobs.com. The company will be hiring for machinist, welder and assembler positions.
Canada-based I.T.I. Hydraulik, founded in 1983, designs and manufactures high-quality cylinders and power units for use in elevator systems and offers superior technical support to its customers. The company also manufactures cylinders of all sizes for special applications, and is specialized in the repair of all kinds of hydraulic cylinders. The company serves clients throughout North America. For more information about the company, please visit www.itihydraulik.com.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Myrtle Beach man hopes to help I-73 become reality
SCNow.com
Originally Published: August 24, 2010
By Bob Juback
MYRTLE BEACH - Danny Isaac is the new head of the SCDOT Commission. He heads the board that helps dictate important road decisions all over South Carolina. And I-73 is the state's most important project.
Danny Isaac grew up in Horry County. He loves the Grand Strand and he’s committed to its growth. He believes much of that growth hinges on Interstate 73. However, the relatively-new chairman of the South Carolina Department of Transportation Commission is quick to make one thing clear.
“I-73 is not a Myrtle Beach road. It’s a South Carolina road. Tourism is the engine that powers the state and Myrtle Beach fuels that engine,” he said. “73 will do wonders for the state of South Carolina.”
Isaac sits at a conference table at A&I Fire and Restoration, the Myrtle Beach company he helped create in 1974. He talks about how he’s seen his hometown evolve over the decades and says roads have helped that process; roads like Highways 22 and 31. They make it easier for visitors to get around the Grand Strand once they get there but Isaac says they don’t help bring visitors to the Grand Strand. That’s why he says the state needs I-73.
“Myrtle Beach is the only major tourist destination in this country without interstate access. That hurts the area and the state, but it may hurt even more in the future because we’re getting more and more first-time visitors. Roads could determine if these folks return, so interstate access is critical to the success of not only the Grand Strand but for the entire state.”
Isaac moved into the chairman’s seat of the SCDOT commission in May, assuming the seat Marvin Stevenson of Marion resigned. The commission sets SCDOT policy and reviews its business. There are seven commissioners in all, representing the state’s six congressional districts and one at-large member appointed by the governor. Neither the at-large, the 5th district representative nor the 6th district commissioner lives in the Pee Dee, so that makes the Isaac the only local member. However, he heads the commission and when asked if that position could help move I-73 forward, he’s quick to answer.
“I think it does. It allows me to share with all the commissioners and with the rest of the state of South Carolina, the importance of I-73.”
Isaac says there are other projects that need addressing. Such as widening Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant, widening more stretches of I-95 to six lanes and updating worn-out bridges. He also points out how quickly and relatively-inexpensively the state recently renovated a big chunk of I-385 in the Upstate. He thinks if the state could make that happen, it can do the same with what he calls the number-one road priority: Interstate 73.
“I think if the state of South Carolina was committed to building I-73 unanimously and if we take a ‘we’ approach instead of ‘what we can do for our area versus your area’ approach and if we all worked together, I think conceivably we could have I-73 constructed,” he pauses for a couple of seconds, then continues. “In possibly five years.”
As with any project of this magnitude, money is the main issue and the main problem. Isaac thinks the state needs new, creative ways to come up with that money and he says it he’ll do whatever he can to help. Isaac feels the longer I-73 fails to exist, the further South Carolina and Myrtle Beach risk falling behind.
“And again,” he repeats. “I-73 should not be perceived as a Grand Strand project. I-73 is a project for the state of South Carolina.”
Originally Published: August 24, 2010
By Bob Juback
MYRTLE BEACH - Danny Isaac is the new head of the SCDOT Commission. He heads the board that helps dictate important road decisions all over South Carolina. And I-73 is the state's most important project.
Danny Isaac grew up in Horry County. He loves the Grand Strand and he’s committed to its growth. He believes much of that growth hinges on Interstate 73. However, the relatively-new chairman of the South Carolina Department of Transportation Commission is quick to make one thing clear.
“I-73 is not a Myrtle Beach road. It’s a South Carolina road. Tourism is the engine that powers the state and Myrtle Beach fuels that engine,” he said. “73 will do wonders for the state of South Carolina.”
Isaac sits at a conference table at A&I Fire and Restoration, the Myrtle Beach company he helped create in 1974. He talks about how he’s seen his hometown evolve over the decades and says roads have helped that process; roads like Highways 22 and 31. They make it easier for visitors to get around the Grand Strand once they get there but Isaac says they don’t help bring visitors to the Grand Strand. That’s why he says the state needs I-73.
“Myrtle Beach is the only major tourist destination in this country without interstate access. That hurts the area and the state, but it may hurt even more in the future because we’re getting more and more first-time visitors. Roads could determine if these folks return, so interstate access is critical to the success of not only the Grand Strand but for the entire state.”
Isaac moved into the chairman’s seat of the SCDOT commission in May, assuming the seat Marvin Stevenson of Marion resigned. The commission sets SCDOT policy and reviews its business. There are seven commissioners in all, representing the state’s six congressional districts and one at-large member appointed by the governor. Neither the at-large, the 5th district representative nor the 6th district commissioner lives in the Pee Dee, so that makes the Isaac the only local member. However, he heads the commission and when asked if that position could help move I-73 forward, he’s quick to answer.
“I think it does. It allows me to share with all the commissioners and with the rest of the state of South Carolina, the importance of I-73.”
Isaac says there are other projects that need addressing. Such as widening Highway 17 in Mount Pleasant, widening more stretches of I-95 to six lanes and updating worn-out bridges. He also points out how quickly and relatively-inexpensively the state recently renovated a big chunk of I-385 in the Upstate. He thinks if the state could make that happen, it can do the same with what he calls the number-one road priority: Interstate 73.
“I think if the state of South Carolina was committed to building I-73 unanimously and if we take a ‘we’ approach instead of ‘what we can do for our area versus your area’ approach and if we all worked together, I think conceivably we could have I-73 constructed,” he pauses for a couple of seconds, then continues. “In possibly five years.”
As with any project of this magnitude, money is the main issue and the main problem. Isaac thinks the state needs new, creative ways to come up with that money and he says it he’ll do whatever he can to help. Isaac feels the longer I-73 fails to exist, the further South Carolina and Myrtle Beach risk falling behind.
“And again,” he repeats. “I-73 should not be perceived as a Grand Strand project. I-73 is a project for the state of South Carolina.”
Friday, August 27, 2010
I-95 interchange next step for I-73 project
SCNow.com
August 27, 2010
By Aisha Khan
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, members of the I-73 Association and North Eastern Strategic Alliance discussed the impact of Interstate 73 on the state during a press conference Friday.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, members of the I-73 Association and North Eastern Strategic Alliance discussed the impact of Interstate 73 on the state during a press conference Friday.
The interstate, from Myrtle Beach to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., could take at least 10 years to complete. It would cross six states — Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and the Carolinas — and traverse 80 miles in four South Carolina counties: Marlboro, Dillon, Marion and Horry at a cost of $2 billion.
It will be the first interstate link to Myrtle Beach, the heart of the state’s $16 billion tourism industry.
A study released in January 2009 suggested that building the South Carolina leg of I-73 could create thousands of jobs and generate more than $1 billion in household income during the five-year construction.
“It’s going to cost billions of dollars,” said Graham during the conference at Magnolia’s in Myrtle Beach, “but when you are talking about stimulating the economy and creating jobs I can’t think of a better use of taxpayer dollars than to construct this new interstate. This is what the federal government is supposed to do.”
News13 asked Graham what he’d say to those who are skeptical about the project and doubt it will come to be.
“We are actually making some progress,” he said. “I thought it was gonna die about three years ago because we couldn’t agree on that route. Now we’ve got a route from beginning to end, the federal government has appropriated $83 million and the state government has appropriated $75 million.”
The next big step is to build an interchange by Interstate 95 and U.S. 501 in Dillon County, Graham said.
“The holdup is that this is a multi-million dollar project and the highway reauthorization bill comes up next year. Congress will set priorities to the nation as to what highways will be funded,” he said, “so anything we can do this year in terms of infrastructure development in South Carolina allows me to make the case to federal government that you should build this road because the states are already helping in building the infrastructure.”
Graham said the state has created an account to buy the needed right of ways and has determined a route to get a better sense of where the road would run and where it would end.
He said if the state can construct an interchange between I-95 and U.S. 501 — a key to building the corridor in South Carolina — it would need $150 million, hence making a better case for him to present to the federal government.
Half of the money is available with the state at $75 million to which another $15 million would be need to added every year over the next five-year period, he said.
“The state has a $3 trillion budget. We are going to reauthorize money next year to build highways,” Graham said. “I think it’s an easy sell. I think most taxpayers are frustrated because they don’t see a value for their dollars.”
Notices for right-of-way acquisitions are being sent to landowners in the section around the first interchange at I-95.
“Ordinary citizens are starting to see that it is a reality because they’re getting condemnation notices from the department saying that we need your land to build this road,” said state Rep. Doug Jennings of Bennettsville, who serves a treasurer of the National I-73/74 Association. “Of course that’s a very personal thing when the government takes your land, but there is also a very fair law out there on the books that make sure that the landowners get compensation for their property.”
Graham said state Rep. Allen Clemmons of Myrtle Beach, who serves as chairman of the National I-73/74 Association, will be taking the I-73 issue to a road rally Sept. 30 in Washington, D.C., to which every legislative delegation member from the I-73 states is invited.
“The decision has been made to begin the construction at I-95 which is four miles north of the existing interchange at S.C. 38 and Dillon County,” Jennings said. “Certainly, in the next two to three years, you can see dirt moving and you can see actual construction going on.”
The National I-73/74 Corridor Association is a membership organization committed to enhancing the economic success and quality of life within the six-state corridor by pursuing the planning, permitting, funding, construction and maintenance of I-73/74 — highways of regional and national significance that will facilitate interstate commerce, reduce congestion and improve safety in an environmentally sound manner.
For more information about I-73, visit www.I73.com or call (866) 924-7374.
August 27, 2010
By Aisha Khan
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, members of the I-73 Association and North Eastern Strategic Alliance discussed the impact of Interstate 73 on the state during a press conference Friday.
U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, members of the I-73 Association and North Eastern Strategic Alliance discussed the impact of Interstate 73 on the state during a press conference Friday.
The interstate, from Myrtle Beach to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., could take at least 10 years to complete. It would cross six states — Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and the Carolinas — and traverse 80 miles in four South Carolina counties: Marlboro, Dillon, Marion and Horry at a cost of $2 billion.
It will be the first interstate link to Myrtle Beach, the heart of the state’s $16 billion tourism industry.
A study released in January 2009 suggested that building the South Carolina leg of I-73 could create thousands of jobs and generate more than $1 billion in household income during the five-year construction.
“It’s going to cost billions of dollars,” said Graham during the conference at Magnolia’s in Myrtle Beach, “but when you are talking about stimulating the economy and creating jobs I can’t think of a better use of taxpayer dollars than to construct this new interstate. This is what the federal government is supposed to do.”
News13 asked Graham what he’d say to those who are skeptical about the project and doubt it will come to be.
“We are actually making some progress,” he said. “I thought it was gonna die about three years ago because we couldn’t agree on that route. Now we’ve got a route from beginning to end, the federal government has appropriated $83 million and the state government has appropriated $75 million.”
The next big step is to build an interchange by Interstate 95 and U.S. 501 in Dillon County, Graham said.
“The holdup is that this is a multi-million dollar project and the highway reauthorization bill comes up next year. Congress will set priorities to the nation as to what highways will be funded,” he said, “so anything we can do this year in terms of infrastructure development in South Carolina allows me to make the case to federal government that you should build this road because the states are already helping in building the infrastructure.”
Graham said the state has created an account to buy the needed right of ways and has determined a route to get a better sense of where the road would run and where it would end.
He said if the state can construct an interchange between I-95 and U.S. 501 — a key to building the corridor in South Carolina — it would need $150 million, hence making a better case for him to present to the federal government.
Half of the money is available with the state at $75 million to which another $15 million would be need to added every year over the next five-year period, he said.
“The state has a $3 trillion budget. We are going to reauthorize money next year to build highways,” Graham said. “I think it’s an easy sell. I think most taxpayers are frustrated because they don’t see a value for their dollars.”
Notices for right-of-way acquisitions are being sent to landowners in the section around the first interchange at I-95.
“Ordinary citizens are starting to see that it is a reality because they’re getting condemnation notices from the department saying that we need your land to build this road,” said state Rep. Doug Jennings of Bennettsville, who serves a treasurer of the National I-73/74 Association. “Of course that’s a very personal thing when the government takes your land, but there is also a very fair law out there on the books that make sure that the landowners get compensation for their property.”
Graham said state Rep. Allen Clemmons of Myrtle Beach, who serves as chairman of the National I-73/74 Association, will be taking the I-73 issue to a road rally Sept. 30 in Washington, D.C., to which every legislative delegation member from the I-73 states is invited.
“The decision has been made to begin the construction at I-95 which is four miles north of the existing interchange at S.C. 38 and Dillon County,” Jennings said. “Certainly, in the next two to three years, you can see dirt moving and you can see actual construction going on.”
The National I-73/74 Corridor Association is a membership organization committed to enhancing the economic success and quality of life within the six-state corridor by pursuing the planning, permitting, funding, construction and maintenance of I-73/74 — highways of regional and national significance that will facilitate interstate commerce, reduce congestion and improve safety in an environmentally sound manner.
For more information about I-73, visit www.I73.com or call (866) 924-7374.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
With last bit of funding, work on long-sought road could begin in 2011
SCNow.com
By Carlton Purvis
August 22, 2010
A new phase in the Interstate 73 project could start as early as next year if supporters of the project can get the remaining funding needed to start it.
A new phase in the Interstate 73 project could start as early as next year if supporters of the project can get the remaining funding needed to start it.
Ground could be broken for the interchange with Interstate 95 in Dillon County as early as 2011 if the project can get a last bit of funding, said 1st Congressional District Commissioner Danny Isaac, who is the liaison between supporters of the project and the S.C. Department of Transportation.
The total cost of the interchange — half of which is already funded — is about $150 million, Isaac said.“Its just all about the funding,” he said. “We need that other $75 million.”
The first part of the funding came from an earmark, followed by state infrastructure grant money and, more recently, a $10 million TIGER grant. Isaac said a TIGER 2 grant has been applied for in an effort to obtain some of the final funding for the project.
The interstate, from Myrtle Beach to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., could take at least 10 years to complete. It would cross six states — Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and the Carolinas — and traverse 80 miles in four South Carolina counties: Marlboro, Dillon, Marion and Horry.
The complete I-73 project, which includes road improvement from the North Carolina state line to Horry County, will span 44 miles and is expected to affect 81 homes and 71 businesses.It also would be the first interstate link to Myrtle Beach, the heart of the state’s $16 bil-lion tourism industry.
In addition, I-73 is expected to add more than $1 billion to the area’s economy, create thousands of construction jobs and cut hurricane evacuation times from the Grand Strand by 11 to 15 hours.
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Brad Dean, one of the S.C. I-73 Association officers, said I-73 has been discussed for almost 30 years, but rela-tively a small amount of progress has been made until recent years.
“While I-73 has been on the to-do list for a long time, it had not been a high priority for South Carolina in large part due to the perceived lack of need,” Dean said.
Changes in tourism in the Grand Strand and the economic climate of the Pee Dee, as well as work by state Sen. Hugh Leatherman of Florence and other officials to help get national attention for the project have helped moveit forward.
“As the Myrtle Beach area has grown to a national tourism destination that welcomes more than 14 million visitors a year, we see the need to enhance infrastructure to accom-modate the growing number of visitors,” Dean said.
For the Pee Dee, the interchange connects the area to the rest of the region in a way officials hope will make industries take a second look.“The economic landscape of the Pee Dee over that last two or three years has decreased for certain areas that lack infrastructure. I-73 may be an economic lifeline. It may be the only hope of bringing higher paying jobs and new industries to certain areas,” Dean said.
“Marion County has had some recent success in attracting new businesses to the area. Imagine the potential if they had interstate access.”
Isaac said getting the interchange started will help show enough progress on the I-73 project to get major funding for the remainder of it.
Isaac and Dean agree that connecting I-73 to a major interstate will give a boost to the project and the state.
“I think the day they announce they are starting to break ground you will see national interest moving to the area. Tourism is really what’s driving the state of South Carolina right now and this interstate will just fuel that engine,” Isaac said.
“We have made great progress, but moving forward on the interchange project will help us secure more federal funds and create jobs which our state desperately needs,” state Rep. Alan Clemmons of Myrtle Beach, who serves as chairman of the National I-73/74 Corridor Association, said in a press release last year about the project.
The National I-73/74 Corridor Association bills itself as a membership organization committed to enhancing the economic success and quality of life within the six-state corridor by pursuing the planning, permitting, funding, construction and maintenance of I-73/74 — highways of regional and national significance that will facilitate interstate commerce, reduce congestion and improve safety in an environmentally sound manner.
For more information about I-73, visit www.I73.com or call (866) 924-7374.
By Carlton Purvis
August 22, 2010
A new phase in the Interstate 73 project could start as early as next year if supporters of the project can get the remaining funding needed to start it.
A new phase in the Interstate 73 project could start as early as next year if supporters of the project can get the remaining funding needed to start it.
Ground could be broken for the interchange with Interstate 95 in Dillon County as early as 2011 if the project can get a last bit of funding, said 1st Congressional District Commissioner Danny Isaac, who is the liaison between supporters of the project and the S.C. Department of Transportation.
The total cost of the interchange — half of which is already funded — is about $150 million, Isaac said.“Its just all about the funding,” he said. “We need that other $75 million.”
The first part of the funding came from an earmark, followed by state infrastructure grant money and, more recently, a $10 million TIGER grant. Isaac said a TIGER 2 grant has been applied for in an effort to obtain some of the final funding for the project.
The interstate, from Myrtle Beach to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich., could take at least 10 years to complete. It would cross six states — Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia and the Carolinas — and traverse 80 miles in four South Carolina counties: Marlboro, Dillon, Marion and Horry.
The complete I-73 project, which includes road improvement from the North Carolina state line to Horry County, will span 44 miles and is expected to affect 81 homes and 71 businesses.It also would be the first interstate link to Myrtle Beach, the heart of the state’s $16 bil-lion tourism industry.
In addition, I-73 is expected to add more than $1 billion to the area’s economy, create thousands of construction jobs and cut hurricane evacuation times from the Grand Strand by 11 to 15 hours.
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Brad Dean, one of the S.C. I-73 Association officers, said I-73 has been discussed for almost 30 years, but rela-tively a small amount of progress has been made until recent years.
“While I-73 has been on the to-do list for a long time, it had not been a high priority for South Carolina in large part due to the perceived lack of need,” Dean said.
Changes in tourism in the Grand Strand and the economic climate of the Pee Dee, as well as work by state Sen. Hugh Leatherman of Florence and other officials to help get national attention for the project have helped moveit forward.
“As the Myrtle Beach area has grown to a national tourism destination that welcomes more than 14 million visitors a year, we see the need to enhance infrastructure to accom-modate the growing number of visitors,” Dean said.
For the Pee Dee, the interchange connects the area to the rest of the region in a way officials hope will make industries take a second look.“The economic landscape of the Pee Dee over that last two or three years has decreased for certain areas that lack infrastructure. I-73 may be an economic lifeline. It may be the only hope of bringing higher paying jobs and new industries to certain areas,” Dean said.
“Marion County has had some recent success in attracting new businesses to the area. Imagine the potential if they had interstate access.”
Isaac said getting the interchange started will help show enough progress on the I-73 project to get major funding for the remainder of it.
Isaac and Dean agree that connecting I-73 to a major interstate will give a boost to the project and the state.
“I think the day they announce they are starting to break ground you will see national interest moving to the area. Tourism is really what’s driving the state of South Carolina right now and this interstate will just fuel that engine,” Isaac said.
“We have made great progress, but moving forward on the interchange project will help us secure more federal funds and create jobs which our state desperately needs,” state Rep. Alan Clemmons of Myrtle Beach, who serves as chairman of the National I-73/74 Corridor Association, said in a press release last year about the project.
The National I-73/74 Corridor Association bills itself as a membership organization committed to enhancing the economic success and quality of life within the six-state corridor by pursuing the planning, permitting, funding, construction and maintenance of I-73/74 — highways of regional and national significance that will facilitate interstate commerce, reduce congestion and improve safety in an environmentally sound manner.
For more information about I-73, visit www.I73.com or call (866) 924-7374.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Mohawk Industries Inc. Announces Expansion in Marlboro County
COLUMBIA, S.C. – May 27, 2010 – The South Carolina Department of Commerce, Marlboro County and the North Eastern Strategic Alliance (NESA) today announced that Mohawk Industries Inc. will expand its manufacturing facility in Marlboro County. The $60 million investment is expected to generate a significant number of additional positions over the next two years.
“We have been very pleased with the results of the Oak River North Extrusion and Yarn operations,” said Larry Perugini, Vice President – Yarn and Extrusion Manufacturing, Mohawk Industries. “The people at the facility have been key contributors to our company’s success, and we are grateful for their good work and dedication.”
Perugini added that the site continues to play a significant role in Mohawk’s manufacturing. “As Mohawk’s needs for fiber and yarn evolve with changes in consumer demand, we have to analyze our assets and invest at locations that can help us fulfill our customer’s preferences,” Perugini said.
Mohawk Industries opened the current Bennettsville facility in 2006, but has had yarn manufacturing operations in the area for more than 50 years. The company will add 87,500 square feet of manufacturing space to the facility, along with additional yarn conversion equipment.
“Mohawk Industries has been an important part of the Pee Dee area business community for more than five decades. This announcement indicates yet again that our state’s business-friendly climate and skilled workforce are working to attract new investment and foster growth among our existing industries. Additionally, Mohawk’s decision to expand with this significant investment further strengthens the company’s commitment to the local community. We congratulate Mohawk Industries and look forward to its continued growth in Marlboro County,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce.
Mohawk previously expanded Oak River North facility in 2008 and currently employs more than 400 individuals at the location.
“We are so pleased to welcome this second expansion in two years of Mohawk Industries in Marlboro County. This most recent expansion is a testament to the strong work ethic and productivity of the people of Marlboro County and of this region. We would like to thank Mohawk for continuing to create jobs in Marlboro County and for being such a strong corporate citizen,” said state Sen. J. Yancey McGill, chairman of NESA.
“Economic development, in addition to recruiting new business, is the sustaining of existing business. I am very grateful for this expansion by Mohawk as it is needed in our community. We congratulate and thank Mohawk Industries on its new investment. This type of dedication and commitment is demonstrative of the type of corporate citizen that Mohawk exemplifies,” said state Sen. Gerald Malloy.
“We are thrilled with Mohawk’s decision, and our legislative delegation was delighted to work on this project with local officials and state officials,” said state Rep. Doug Jennings, chairman of the Marlboro County Legislative Delegation. “The announcement by Mohawk shows confidence in Marlboro County and the state of South Carolina and we are excited that they will be expanding their facilities and creating new jobs at a time when they are critically needed.”
“Council is pleased that Mohawk has chosen Marlboro County for their extrusion expansion project. We thank Mr. Larry Perugini of Mohawk for his input in choosing Marlboro. Mr. Perugini worked here for a number of years and we appreciate his confidence in our county. This second expansion in just a few years, along with the new jobs, demonstrates the solid partnership between Mohawk Industries and the citizens of Marlboro County,” said Marlboro County Council Chairwoman Dr. Carolyn Prince.
“This expansion is another affirmation by one of our industrial partners that Marlboro County is the right place to do business,” said F. S. “Butch” Mills Jr., Executive Director of Marlboro County Economic Development Partnership. “Thanks to South Carolina Department of Commerce, the North Eastern Strategic Alliance, Marlboro County Council and the Partnership Board for their collaborative work in assisting Mohawk in their desire to expand in Marlboro County and South Carolina.”
For all open positions, please visit www.mohawkjobs.com to apply, or contact the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce in Bennettsville at 843-479-4081.
About Mohawk Industries Inc.
Mohawk is a leading supplier of flooring for both residential and commercial applications. Mohawk offers a complete selection of carpet, ceramic tile, laminate, wood, stone, vinyl, and rugs. These products are marketed under the premier brands in the industry, which include Mohawk, Karastan, Ralph Lauren, Lees, Bigelow, Dal-Tile, American Olean, Unilin and Quick Step. Mohawk's unique merchandising and marketing assist our customers in creating the consumers' dream. Mohawk provides a premium level of service with its own trucking fleet and over 250 local distribution locations.
“We have been very pleased with the results of the Oak River North Extrusion and Yarn operations,” said Larry Perugini, Vice President – Yarn and Extrusion Manufacturing, Mohawk Industries. “The people at the facility have been key contributors to our company’s success, and we are grateful for their good work and dedication.”
Perugini added that the site continues to play a significant role in Mohawk’s manufacturing. “As Mohawk’s needs for fiber and yarn evolve with changes in consumer demand, we have to analyze our assets and invest at locations that can help us fulfill our customer’s preferences,” Perugini said.
Mohawk Industries opened the current Bennettsville facility in 2006, but has had yarn manufacturing operations in the area for more than 50 years. The company will add 87,500 square feet of manufacturing space to the facility, along with additional yarn conversion equipment.
“Mohawk Industries has been an important part of the Pee Dee area business community for more than five decades. This announcement indicates yet again that our state’s business-friendly climate and skilled workforce are working to attract new investment and foster growth among our existing industries. Additionally, Mohawk’s decision to expand with this significant investment further strengthens the company’s commitment to the local community. We congratulate Mohawk Industries and look forward to its continued growth in Marlboro County,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce.
Mohawk previously expanded Oak River North facility in 2008 and currently employs more than 400 individuals at the location.
“We are so pleased to welcome this second expansion in two years of Mohawk Industries in Marlboro County. This most recent expansion is a testament to the strong work ethic and productivity of the people of Marlboro County and of this region. We would like to thank Mohawk for continuing to create jobs in Marlboro County and for being such a strong corporate citizen,” said state Sen. J. Yancey McGill, chairman of NESA.
“Economic development, in addition to recruiting new business, is the sustaining of existing business. I am very grateful for this expansion by Mohawk as it is needed in our community. We congratulate and thank Mohawk Industries on its new investment. This type of dedication and commitment is demonstrative of the type of corporate citizen that Mohawk exemplifies,” said state Sen. Gerald Malloy.
“We are thrilled with Mohawk’s decision, and our legislative delegation was delighted to work on this project with local officials and state officials,” said state Rep. Doug Jennings, chairman of the Marlboro County Legislative Delegation. “The announcement by Mohawk shows confidence in Marlboro County and the state of South Carolina and we are excited that they will be expanding their facilities and creating new jobs at a time when they are critically needed.”
“Council is pleased that Mohawk has chosen Marlboro County for their extrusion expansion project. We thank Mr. Larry Perugini of Mohawk for his input in choosing Marlboro. Mr. Perugini worked here for a number of years and we appreciate his confidence in our county. This second expansion in just a few years, along with the new jobs, demonstrates the solid partnership between Mohawk Industries and the citizens of Marlboro County,” said Marlboro County Council Chairwoman Dr. Carolyn Prince.
“This expansion is another affirmation by one of our industrial partners that Marlboro County is the right place to do business,” said F. S. “Butch” Mills Jr., Executive Director of Marlboro County Economic Development Partnership. “Thanks to South Carolina Department of Commerce, the North Eastern Strategic Alliance, Marlboro County Council and the Partnership Board for their collaborative work in assisting Mohawk in their desire to expand in Marlboro County and South Carolina.”
For all open positions, please visit www.mohawkjobs.com to apply, or contact the South Carolina Department of Employment and Workforce in Bennettsville at 843-479-4081.
About Mohawk Industries Inc.
Mohawk is a leading supplier of flooring for both residential and commercial applications. Mohawk offers a complete selection of carpet, ceramic tile, laminate, wood, stone, vinyl, and rugs. These products are marketed under the premier brands in the industry, which include Mohawk, Karastan, Ralph Lauren, Lees, Bigelow, Dal-Tile, American Olean, Unilin and Quick Step. Mohawk's unique merchandising and marketing assist our customers in creating the consumers' dream. Mohawk provides a premium level of service with its own trucking fleet and over 250 local distribution locations.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
The Charleston Pie Man LLC Announces New Facilities in Georgetown County
The Charleston Pie Man LLC Announces New Facilities in Georgetown County
Investment expected to create 80 new jobs
COLUMBIA, S.C. – April 14, 2010 – The South Carolina Department of Commerce and Georgetown County today announced that The Charleston Pie Man LLC will locate its new operation in Georgetown County. The $500,000 investment is expected to generate 80 new jobs.
“Demand for the pies has grown quickly, and I expect it to continue to grow as we enter more markets. This new facility will allow us to meet demand and get our pies to our customers wherever they might be. This new manufacturing operation represents an important first step for us, and we look forward to growing here. We appreciate all the support we’ve received from state and local officials,” said Toby Simmons, owner and founder of The Charleston Pie Man.
The Charleston Pie Man will open a new pie manufacturing operation in Georgetown County to assemble and prepare its pies. The company has leased two facilities in the area, one in Pawleys Island and the other in Georgetown. The company plans to build on its regional pie business and enter markets all across the U.S.
“Small businesses are a fundamental driver of employment opportunities for South Carolinians and citizens across the nation. The success of The Charleston Pie Man shows how a kitchen concept can be turned into a thriving business. The company’s growth from a one-man operation into a manufacturing business that will employ dozens of people and have a broad market reach demonstrates that South Carolina provides the foundation fundamental to growing any business. Congratulations to Toby Simmons and The Charleston Pie Man and best wishes for continued success,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce.
“We are delighted The Charleston Pie Man has created its home in Georgetown County with bakery locations in both Pawleys Island and Georgetown,” said Georgetown County Council Chairman Johnny Morant. “We are excited they will occupy buildings in multiple locations within our county to provide job opportunities for residents to find a quality job with a growing company. The Charleston Pie Man is an entrepreneurial business with rapid growth potential so it is a pleasure to welcome them to the Georgetown County business community.”
The Charleston Pie Man is in the process of hiring for the positions now. Anyone interested in job opportunities with the company should contact the Georgetown Workforce Center at 843-546-8581 or the company at 843-314-3570, or by fax at 843-314-3571.
The Charleston Pie Man is the creation of Toby Simmons, who went from making his pies at home and selling them at local farmers markets to opening a bakery in Charleston. Even as his success has grown, Simmons has continued to use the freshest ingredients to make his pies. For more information about the company, please visit www.thecharlestonpieman.com.
Investment expected to create 80 new jobs
COLUMBIA, S.C. – April 14, 2010 – The South Carolina Department of Commerce and Georgetown County today announced that The Charleston Pie Man LLC will locate its new operation in Georgetown County. The $500,000 investment is expected to generate 80 new jobs.
“Demand for the pies has grown quickly, and I expect it to continue to grow as we enter more markets. This new facility will allow us to meet demand and get our pies to our customers wherever they might be. This new manufacturing operation represents an important first step for us, and we look forward to growing here. We appreciate all the support we’ve received from state and local officials,” said Toby Simmons, owner and founder of The Charleston Pie Man.
The Charleston Pie Man will open a new pie manufacturing operation in Georgetown County to assemble and prepare its pies. The company has leased two facilities in the area, one in Pawleys Island and the other in Georgetown. The company plans to build on its regional pie business and enter markets all across the U.S.
“Small businesses are a fundamental driver of employment opportunities for South Carolinians and citizens across the nation. The success of The Charleston Pie Man shows how a kitchen concept can be turned into a thriving business. The company’s growth from a one-man operation into a manufacturing business that will employ dozens of people and have a broad market reach demonstrates that South Carolina provides the foundation fundamental to growing any business. Congratulations to Toby Simmons and The Charleston Pie Man and best wishes for continued success,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce.
“We are delighted The Charleston Pie Man has created its home in Georgetown County with bakery locations in both Pawleys Island and Georgetown,” said Georgetown County Council Chairman Johnny Morant. “We are excited they will occupy buildings in multiple locations within our county to provide job opportunities for residents to find a quality job with a growing company. The Charleston Pie Man is an entrepreneurial business with rapid growth potential so it is a pleasure to welcome them to the Georgetown County business community.”
The Charleston Pie Man is in the process of hiring for the positions now. Anyone interested in job opportunities with the company should contact the Georgetown Workforce Center at 843-546-8581 or the company at 843-314-3570, or by fax at 843-314-3571.
The Charleston Pie Man is the creation of Toby Simmons, who went from making his pies at home and selling them at local farmers markets to opening a bakery in Charleston. Even as his success has grown, Simmons has continued to use the freshest ingredients to make his pies. For more information about the company, please visit www.thecharlestonpieman.com.
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