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.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
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.
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