2010 sc biz 4

Haley’s turn

After historic win, S.C.’s new chief executive

walks into budget fi restorm

Economic

forecast Signs point to slow but positive growth

in 2011

Special SectionBest Places

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Contents

Cover and contents photo by

Renee Ittner McManus

RIM Photography

rimphotography.com, 803.622.4054

FEATURE

16

20

COVER STORY

Ports, Logistics & Distribution

in South Carolina

P O R T S , L O G I S T I C S & D I S T R I B U T I O N I N S . C .

S.C. Delivers

ISSU

E 2

, 2010

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F S C B I Z N E W S

Wide openS.C. Ports Authority leaders hope the Panama Canal’s expansion will open the fl oodgates to Far East trade

Page 42

Photo/Panama Canal Authority

Haley’s turnA big state budget hole could derail

any efforts by Gov.-elect Nikki Haley

to impose her agenda at the Statehouse.

2011 Economic Forecast

Check out the 25

companies that made this

year’s Best Places to Work

in S.C. list.

http://www.elliottdavis.com/


works and what doesn’t in state government.

Th e answers rarely fi t easily into ideological

pigeonholes.

You can hardly fi nd a better example of

the perils of the promotion of ideology over

critical economic goals than U.S. Sen. Jim De-

Mint’s decision to put federal funding for the

Army Corps of Engineers’ Charleston Harbor

deepening study further down his priority list

than his personal crusade to

kill congressional earmarks.

DeMint, R-S.C., has by that

decision put the state’s eco-

nomic future in serious peril.

Without funding for the study,

the Corps of Engineers cannot

be tasked to deepen Charles-

ton Harbor, a project needed

to accommodate the fl ood of

super-sized containerships

that will head to the East Coast

through the Panama Canal af-

ter the widening project for

the canal is complete.

Th at’s just a few years away.

We are already behind other

states in moving forward on

this critical need, and without both our sena-

tors going aft er funding as their top priority,

we could fi nd ourselves in even deeper eco-

nomic trouble than we are in now.

DeMint’s assurance that some other way

will be found to come up with the funds off ers

little comfort. By playing the role of tea party

hero on this issue, he’s inviting political oppo-

Republicans are understandably in a

celebratory mood aft er big victories

in elections countrywide and the evo-

lution of the South into a purely “Red State”

region.

Th at’s certainly true in South Carolina,

where the political divisions now seem to

be mainly between moderately conservative

Republicans and those who want to “double

down” on infl exible positions

based on a strict interpretation

of right-wing ideology.

Let’s start on a positive note

by congratulating Gov.-elect

Nikki Haley on her success in

the recent election. We should

all wish her well and hope she

is as successful in governing as

she was in running for offi ce.

Despite all the slings and

arrows launched during the

campaign, Haley really has a

blank slate to work with: She

can choose to be pragmatic in

her policy positions and col-

laborative with members of

the General Assembly, or she

can choose the more perilous path of squaring

off against legislators based on rigid ideologi-

cal viewpoints, much as her predecessor did

for eight years.

If she takes the more promising path, she

will fi nd receptive legislative leaders in her

own party whose policy views extend well

beyond the tiresome “low tax, limited govern-

ment” mantra. In recent years, for example,

the General Assembly’s Republican leadership

has successfully introduced and passed inno-

vative legislation that promotes stronger part-

nerships between our research universities

and the state’s economic development eff orts.

Other measures support capital investment in

our state and meet other critical economic de-

velopment needs.

Regardless of where an elected offi cial’s

views fall on the political spectrum, creation

of good public policy requires a commitment

to engagement in objective analysis of what

South Carolina needs two senators on its side

Bill [email protected]

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATIONSCBIZ reaches thousands of South Carolina’s top

decision-makers. Add your name to the list by

ordering a print subscription to SCBIZ.

Your subscription also includes SCBIZ Daily. Deliv-

ered to your e-mail inbox each weekday morning,

SCBIZ Daily is your link to statewide business news.

One year for $43.50

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nents to retaliate by stalling the funding of our

harbor study. Politics is a contact sport, and

everybody gets to play, not just DeMint.

By now, it has been widely explained in the

national media that earmarks are only about

1% of the federal budget and their elimina-

tion would just mean concentration of more

decision-making power in the hands of fed-

eral bureaucrats rather than our elected rep-

resentatives. Yes, there’s plenty of waste in the

earmark system, but that calls for earmark re-

form, not elimination, which will have virtu-

ally no impact on the defi cit or overall govern-

ment spending.

DeMint is undoubtedly seen as a hero

by some South Carolinians, but he’ll be my

hero when he convinces me that he is putting

South Carolina’s needs fi rst and his personal

political ideology second. SCBIZ

.

l

f

r

-

e

r

t

o

Without both our

senators going

after funding as

their top priority,

we could fi nd

ourselves in even

deeper economic

trouble than we

are in now.

V i e w p o i n t

www.scbizmag.com | Winter 2010 5

UpfrontR E G I O N A L N E W S | D ATA

New supplier named for plug-in vehicle stations

Eaton Corp. will replace AeroVironment Inc. as the agency to supply and support

eight public electric vehicle refueling stations in South Carolina. Plug In Carolina,

the Charleston-based nonprofi t charged with creating the network, said the project

was reassigned to Eaton because that company has the ability to meet the immedi-

ate needs of the project.

The project, which launched June 15, is funded by two state grants secured

through the S.C. Energy Offi ce. The stations will be deployed in Greenville, Spartan-

burg, Blythewood, Columbia, Charleston, Rock Hill, Union and Myrtle Beach.

“We are thrilled that Eaton was in a position to step up and ensure that this im-

portant green transportation initiative stays on track,” said James Poch, executive

director of Plug In Carolina. “With their help, we look forward to positioning South

Carolina as one of the fi rst EV-ready states in the country.”

The program will provide publicly accessible electric vehicle charging stations

at locations such as municipal parking garages, public streets and retailers.

Founded in 2006, Plug In Carolina is a sponsored by S.C. Electric & Gas Co., Duke

Energy, Santee Cooper and Lockhart Power.

Upstate Midlands Lowcountry

BMW opens new $750M expansion

“10.7% feels pretty good, considering.”

Economist Bruce Yandle, speaking about South Carolina’sunemployment rate for October

See the full story, page 20.

BMW Manufacturing Co. offi cially

opened its new 1.2 million-square-foot as-

sembly plant Oct. 13. Th e expansion is in-

tended to give the German automaker the

fl exibility to add new models and adjust

more readily to volume changes.

“Our past capacity was approximately

150,000 units, and now we are going up

to 240,000 units per year,” said Josef Ker-

scher, president of BMW Manufacturing

in Greer.

Altogether, BMW celebrated the

opening of the new assembly hall, which

will begin production of the X3, and a

300,000-square-foot expansion of its paint

shop. Th e $750 million investment was an-

nounced in 2008.

Th us far, the expansion has gener-

ated 1,600 jobs, with the expectation that

1,000 BMWs will roll from the assembly

line every day, BMW Chairman Norbert

Reithofer said.

Since the plant opened in 1994, more

than 1.6 million BMW vehicles have been

manufactured in Greer. About 70% of all

cars produced locally are exported to 130

global markets, said Rick Wade, senior

adviser and deputy chief of staff for the

secretary of the U.S. Department of Com-

merce.

Photo/BMW Group

Source: S.C. Commerce

Department

Economic Growth Potential1. South Carolina2. Tennessee

3. Virginia

4. North Carolina

5. Texas

Business Climate1. Texas

2. Virginia

3. Kansas

4. South Carolina5. Tennessee

2010 State Rankings Report: Business Facilities magazine

Wind Energy Manufacturing1. Iowa

2. South Carolina3. Utah

4. Arkansas5. Nevada

mmerce

th Potentialna

te

na

Wind Energy Manufacturin1. Iowa

2. South Carolina3. Utah

4. Arkansas5. Nevada


State chamber announces fastest-growing companies in S.C.

Th e 25 fastest-growing companies in South Carolina were recent-

ly unveiled during the S.C. Chamber of Commerce’s annual summit

at Wild Dunes Resort on the Isle of Palms.

Wild Creations, a Myrtle Beach company whose signature prod-

uct is a mini aquarium that includes live African dwarf frogs, was

the fastest-growing company in South Carolina. Th e company saw a

313% average growth, the state chamber said.

Th e two founders of the company talked about the opportunity

associated with starting a company in South Carolina and the chal-

lenges of fi nding a sustainable business model. Two years ago, they

were trucking vans of live frogs to Wisconsin, said Rhett Power, who

founded the company with Peter Gasca.

Today, Wild Creations is going global, with new offi ces in Califor-

nia and China. Th e company will have its products in Toys ‘R’ Us and

Target this season and has scheduled television appearances.

“We based ourselves in South Carolina because there’s a lot of op-

portunity here,” said Gasca, adding that too few people know that

South Carolina has a good business climate. “We’ve got to encourage

entrepreneurship and small business development here.”

Presented annually by Th e Capital Corp., South Carolina’s Fastest-

Growing Companies was co-sponsored by Dixon Hughes PLLC; SC

Business Publications LLC, publisher of SCBIZ magazine, Columbia

Regional Business Report and GSA Business; and the chamber.

Th e winners were an eclectic mix of companies that came from

all parts of the state and represented a variety of industries, including

defense contractors, marketing companies, manufacturers, toymak-

ers and physicians, among others.

South Carolina’s Fastest-Growing Companies for 2010 include:Wild Creations, 1. Myrtle Beach

Pegasus Steel, 2. Goose Creek

Barling Bay, 3. North Charleston

JH Global Services Inc., 4. Greenville

Levelwing, 5. Mount Pleasant

Dennis Corp., 6. Columbia

CareCore National, 7. Bluffton

Lindbergh & Associates, 8. North Charleston

Thomas Glover Associates Inc., 9. Inman

Nason Medical Center, 10. North Charleston

Rhythmlink International, 11. Columbia

International Public Works, 12. Charleston

SYS Constructors Inc., 13. Greenville

J. Banks Design,14. Hilton Head Island

Human Technologies, 15. Greenville

Heritage Healthcare Inc., 16. Greenville

Weir Capital Management, 17. Simpsonville

Vapor Apparel, 18. North Charleston

Sabal Homes,19. Mount Pleasant

Electric Guard Dog, 20. Columbia

Network Controls & Electric Inc., 21. Greenville

Egroup Inc. 22. Mount Pleasant

Orian Rugs Inc., 23. Anderson

Cynergi Systems,24. Duncan

CoastalStates Bank, 25. Hilton Head Island

South Carolina climbs two places in State Business Tax Climate Index

South Carolina gained two spots in the Tax Foundation’s latest

ranking of state tax climates but remains middle of the pack nation-

ally at No. 24.

Th e state ranked No. 9, however, in the category measuring cor-

porate taxes. Th at favorable ranking was off set by a No. 43 ranking in

the category that measures states’ unemployment insurance taxes.

“States do not enact tax changes in a vacuum,” said Scott Hodge,

president of the Tax Foundation. “Every tax change will aff ect a state’s

competitive position relative to its neighbors.”

South Carolina scored favorably when compared to its neighbors.

Georgia ranked No. 25, one spot below South Carolina, and North

Carolina ranked No. 41.

Th e organization’s 2011 State Business Tax Climate Index pro-

motes low tax rates and tax policies with as few deductions, exemp-

tions and credits as possible. Th e Washington D.C.-based research

group, which is critical of incentive packages that states oft en use to

attract industry, said South Dakota has the nation’s most favorable

tax climate, while New York’s is the worst.

“Good state tax systems levy low, fl at rates on the broadest bases

possible, and they treat all taxpayers the same,” wrote staff economist

Kail Padgitt in the introduction to the index. “Variation in the tax

treatment of diff erent industries favors one economic activity or de-

cision over another. Th e more riddled a tax system is with politically

motivated preferences the less likely it is that business decisions will

be made in response to market forces.”

Padgitt said the index rewards states based on how they apply tax

policies in fi ve areas: major business taxes, individual income taxes,

sales taxes, unemployment insurance taxes and property taxes.

In subcategories, the Tax Foundation ranked South Carolina’s

sales tax policies among the best, along with Missouri, Kentucky,

Virginia and Indiana.

“Th ese states avoid the problems of tax pyramiding and have low

excise tax rates,” the report stated.

Th e state’s overall ranking the sales tax category was No. 22.

South Carolina’s corporate income tax rate of 5% also was among

the nation’s lowest, the Tax Foundation said.

Each state’s laws and tax collections were assessed as of July 1,

2010, the fi rst day of the 2011 fi scal year. Newer tax changes are the

subject of commentary in an appendix but are not tallied in the scores

and rankings.

“Th e methodology of the State Business Tax Climate Index is cen-

tered on the idea of economic neutrality,” the Tax Foundation stated.

“If a state’s tax system maintains a level playing fi eld for businesses,

the index considers it neutral and ranks it highly. However, each

state’s fi nal score depends on a comparison with the other 49 states.”

Here’s how South Carolina ranked in this year’s index: Corporate tax .....................................9

Individual income tax .......................27

Sales tax ..........................................22

Unemployment insurance tax ...........43

Property tax .....................................23

34 th

Overall

http://www.scsu.edu/


Te c h n v a t i o n

By Bob Bouyea, Publisher, Columbia Regional Business Report

In the early 1990s when Fred Babaee was

carrying around a mobile phone as large as

a briefcase, he knew mobility was going to

be a key factor in advancing technology.

With that phone, he was available to any-

one who needed him, regardless of where he

was, he recalled.

“Th at idea of having mobility has been a

factor in technical advancement. Most people

now have a BlackBerry or iPhone and com-

municate using voice, data, video and over the

Internet,” said Babaee, president and CEO of

Corlogix, a Columbia fi rm that designs and

manufactures mobile computerized worksta-

tions for the health care and other industries.

In July, they started delivering the fi rst

units to hospitals in Louisiana. And the staff

at Providence Hospitals has been a test site for

the company.

Th e challenge Babaee took on was bringing

mobility to a desktop PC. Although laptops

have been around for years, they can’t hold

power long — two to four hours, generally.

“Th e question was, ‘How can I get AC cur-

rent to a battery and energize my PC?’ ” he

said.

Ray Reckelhoff , the company’s vice presi-

dent of engineering, tackled the task. When

power is converted from alternating current

to direct current and then back to alternating

current, which is needed to power a PC, a lot

of power is lost in the process, reducing the

potential hours of operation.

Th e solution was to look at every piece that

goes into a PC and to incorporate elements

that expend less power. By doing this, Babaee’s

team is able to build a mobile computer that

can be used for up to 12 hours before the bat-

tery has to be recharged, he said.

By having computers that last longer, hos-

pitals need fewer carts. And because they will

be recharging less, they use less energy and

save the user money, Babaee said.

But when Babaee’s folks took the fi rst

prototype into a hospital, the fi rst question

the nurses asked wasn’t how long the battery

would last, it was how you clean the cart.

Unlike his competitors’ carts, Babaee’s fea-

tures a keyboard and mouse that can be sub-

Computer screenProtected by Plexiglas•

Can be cleaned with •

alcohol

Can tolerate high •

levels of ultraviolet

light used in hospitals

Mouse and keyboard

Can be completely •

submerged in water

WheelsNo static is created as •

they move

Two wipers remove dirt •

and debris

Ball bearings make •

it easy to roll on tile

or carpet

StandOne-button electronic •

height control

merged. Th e computer screen, protected by

Plexiglas, can be sprayed with alcohol. It can

tolerate the high levels of ultraviolet light that

hospitals use to kill bacteria, said Carl Rizzo,

the company’s business developer.

“Th e other thing nurses asked was ‘How

easy is it to roll?’ If it’s going to be mobile, you

have to be able to move it,” Babaee said.

Th e ball bearings used in the wheels make

the cart easy to roll and allow it to be maneu-

vered in tight quarters, such as between beds

and in intensive care units, Rizzo said.

Th e wheels were specially designed so that

no static is created when it is moved, and they

have wipers that knock off any dirt or debris

that might stick.

As hospitals adapt to the requirements of

the health care act Congress signed into law

earlier this year, moving away from paper

charting and into electronic medical records,

mobile workstations will be in greater need.

“Entering the data at the bedside improves

workfl ow and helps reduce the possibility of

mistakes, as the doctors have the ability to

pull the patient’s medical records all together,”

Babaee said.

About 56% of hospitals and medical clinics

are not ready to incorporate electronic medi-

cal records; of those, 90% are rural hospitals.

“Rural hospitals are our target. By the year

2014, they have to be EMR-ready,” Babaee

said.

And from there, the future is in advancing

the technology so a doctor can communicate

with others around the world from a patient’s

bedside. SCBIZ

Columbia company develops mobile workstations for hospital, industrial use

Fred BabaeePresident and CEO •

of Corlogix•


Chemists at the University of South

Carolina have developed a camera with

the ability to see the invisible, such as

bloodstains at a crime scene.

Th e new technology, which uses a process

called “multimode imaging in the thermal

infrared,” could eventually be used in crime

scene investigations, because it can capture

bloodstains that the human eye can’t see.

Stephen Morgan and Michael Myrick, pro-

fessors in the department of chemistry and

biochemistry in USC’s College of Arts and

Sciences, published their work in a series of

three reports in the American Chemical Soci-

ety’s semimonthly journal Analytical Chem-

istry. Graduate students Heather Brooke,

Megan Baranowski and Jessica McCutcheon

were also authors of the study.

“Detecting blood is like the holy grail of

forensics,” Morgan said. “When you are able

to detect blood at a crime scene, you know

something bad has happened.”

Blood detection is important because

blood can be typed and can provide DNA,

and pattern analysis of blood spatter might be

able to help determine the sequence of events

in a crime, he said.

He said the luminol test widely used to

detect blood stains and other body fl uids at

crime scenes has several disadvantages. Lumi-

nol — a crystalline compound that glows blu-

ish when treated in an alkaline solution with

an oxidizing agent — is potentially toxic; it

can dilute blood solutions so much that DNA

cannot be retrieved; it can cause blood spat-

ter patterns to smear; and it can produce false

positive results.

Morgan and Myrick have built and tested a

camera that captures hundreds of images in a

few seconds while illuminating subjects with

pulses of infrared light waves. Some of the

photos are taken through special fi lters that

block out particular wavelengths, allowing

certain chemical components — including

blood — to stand out.

Th e system enables the camera to see con-

trasts, thus making invisible stains and pat-

terns emerge from a background of four dif-

ferent types of fabric. It can also distinguish

whether a stain was made by blood, house-

hold bleach, rust, soda or coff ee.

By using the camera, the surface doesn’t

have to be changed in any way while it is be-

ing examined. “With this, we view the scene

without touching it,” Morgan said.

He said the technique can detect a contrast

for any surface stain, adding that it would

have other possible forensic and industrial

applications.

But he said more tests are needed before

the camera fi nds its way to crime scenes.

“Th is is not next week’s CSI tool,” he said.

“We still have to do validation studies and

real-world studies.”

Funding for the study came from the Na-

tional Institute of Justice. Th e researchers

have been working on the project since Janu-

ary 2008. SCBIZ

AIKEN AND EDGEFIELD COUNTIES:WHERE MANUFACTURERS AND TECHNOLOGY MEET

PO Box 1708Aiken, SC 29802www.edpsc.org

[email protected]

Center for Hydrogen Research

USC chemistry researchers help visualize bloodstains

http://www.edpsc.org/


Te c h n v a t i o n

The winning idea in this year’s New Ideas

SC Contest is a concept for the manu-

facture of structural insulated panels

that is faster, leaner and more aff ordable.

Winners of the sixth annual contest, which

drew more than 300 business ideas, were an-

nounced Nov. 3 at the Th inkTEC Innovation

Summit in Charleston.

Th e winning idea came from Charlie Banks

of Newberry County. As grand-prize winner,

Banks will receive $5,000 in seed money for

development of his idea, a scholarship to the

FastTracSC entrepreneurial training program

and access for a year to a team of mentors.

Winners are chosen based on the viability,

innovation or vision, and profi t or revenue

potential of the submitted ideas.

Five fi rst-place prizes were awarded. Each

winner receives $2,500 and a scholarship to

FastTrac. Five $1,000 honorable mention

prizes also were awarded.

Istvan Bognar of Greenville County took

fi rst place in the bioscience category. Bognar’s

idea is for a device that makes it easier to de-

velop a scar tissue track in a dialysis fi stula.

Development of the scar tissue track reduces

the issues associated with establishing an IV

line at every dialysis visit.

An honorable mention went to Brady Ev-

ans of Orangeburg County for the Cook uEat

idea, a full-service nutritional program pro-

viding meals and recipes to improve hospital

patients’ health aft er they are discharged.

Banks’ idea for a new method of manu-

facturing structural insulated panels won fi rst

place in the engineering category.

Th e honorable mention went to Tiki Bietri

of Dorchester County for the Foot Guardian,

a device that improves the safety of manual

pallet jacks by reducing the risk of foot inju-

ries and foot rollovers.

Robert Horner of Charleston County was

the fi rst-place winner in the environmental

sustainability category. Horner’s idea is a pro-

cess that uses waste heat produced by power

plants to dry biosolids from nearby public

wastewater utilities. Th e biosolids can then be

burned to produce energy.

Ron Fulbright of Spartanburg County took

honorable mention for the idea of a truck that

has a detachable bed, giving it the ability to

switch from a full-size truck to a basic passen-

ger vehicle with lower gas consumption.

Gordon Jones of Aiken County won fi rst

place in the information/technology soft ware

category with his idea for a website that gives

fi rst responders real-time information on the

emergency to which they are responding. Th e

information is based on data and videos sub-

mitted by people already on scene.

Andy Richardson of Beaufort County won

an honorable mention for the idea of an iP-

hone application that measures distances

when taking a photograph.

Th e fi rst-place prize in the wild card cat-

egory went to Lauri McLeland of Darlington

County for her Speedway Plays idea. Th e

product is a play mat that allows children to

play with their toy cars on models of several

actual speedways.

Th e honorable mention went to Harlan

Richards of Berkeley County for the idea for

the EZ Gown, a hospital gown that provides

more coverage while still allowing for medical

testing and procedures. SCBIZ

South Carolina St yleExpanding Your Business.

We have a good thing going here in the Palmetto State. There’s plenty of room to grow, unmatched recreational opportunities, a low cost of living, a willing and able workforce, an unbeatable business climate and South Carolina’s Power Team. The Power Team is composed of Santee Cooper and the state’s 20 electric cooperatives. Together, we are committed to building strategic partnerships with smart, forward-thinking businesses. And we back this commitment by delivering quality service and reliable electric power at some of the lowest rates in the nation.So when it’s time to expand, ask yourself, “Why do businesses and industries that already call the Palmetto State home decide to expand here?” The answer is: they have it made in the shade in South Carolina. To find out more, visit www.scprimesite.com.

Improved insulated panel wins New Ideas SC Contest

http://www.scprimesite.com/


Tr e n d s

Employment

Source: S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce, July 2010. County rates are not seasonally adjusted

Unemployment Rate

Source: S.C

UnRa

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<

<<

<

<

=

=

=

=

=

<

V

V=

Higher than previous month

Lower

Same

8.7% - 9.9%

10.0% - 11.9%

12.0% - 14.9%

15.0% - 19.9%

20% and higher

J F M A M J J A S O N D

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

Unemployment rate

S.C. 2010 S.C. 2009 U.S. 2010

*Seasonally adjusted rates.

Source: S.C. Department of Employment and

Workforce, U.S. Department of Labor

Month New/Expansion Company County Investment Jobs CreatedSept. ..................... E .................. Kronotex USA ..................................................Barnwell ............................................$45 million ................................. 40

Sept. .....................N ................. Lava USA ........................................................York ..................................................$3.8 million ................................. 30

Sept. ..................... E .................. Schaeffl er Group .............................................Chesterfi eld .......................................$26 million ................................. 70

Sept. ..................... E .................. South Atlantic Canners ....................................Lee ...................................................$4.5 million .................................NP

Oct. ....................... E .................. OldCastle Lawn and Garden ............................Cherokee ............................................. $625,000 ................................ 30

Oct. .......................N .................. Odermath USA Inc. ..........................................Spartanburg ...................................$3.25 million ................................. 12

Oct. .......................N .................. Winbro Group Technologies .............................York ...................................................$10 million ................................. 25

Oct. ....................... E .................. REI Automation ...............................................Richland .............................................. $500,000 ................................ 15

Oct. ....................... E .................. Elite ES ...........................................................Fairfi eld ............................................$2.5 million ............................... 100

Oct. .......................N .................. Coast Sign Inc. ................................................Greenville .........................................$2.4 million ............................... 135

Oct. .......................N .................. Unitex USA .....................................................Anderson .............................................$4 million ................................. 40

Oct. ....................... E .................. Husqvarna North America ...............................Orangeburg .....................................$105 million .................................NP

Nov. ......................N .................. Heritage Propane Express ...............................Anderson ......................................... not provided ................................. 24

Nov. ...................... E .................. Ascend Performance Materials ........................Greenwood .....................................$3.25 million ................................. 32

Nov. ......................N .................. Treleoni Group ................................................Clarendon .......................................$7.75 million ............................... 100

Nov. ......................N .................. Southeast Renewable Energy ..........................Allendale ............................................$50 mllion ................................. 20

Nov. ......................N .................. S.C. Tissue LLC ...............................................Barnwell ..........................................$140 million ............................... 200

Economic Development Announcements: Sept. 1 - Nov. 23, 2010

Source: S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce

Employment Aug. ’10 Sept. ’10 Oct. ’10

Employed (Total nonagricultural) 1,828,500 1,828,000 1,834,100

Government 344,200 358,400 361,800

Leisure & Hospitality 217,200 207,600 205,200

Manufacturing 210,900 210,400 211,700

Trade, Transportation & Utilities 347,800 343,300 346,300

Unemployed 236,600 236,900 230,600

Source: S.C. Department of Commerce, NP = Not Provided

84

announcements

$246.04 billion

in announced investments

10,160 jobs expected to be created

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Tr e n d s

Passenger BoardingsAirport Apr. ’10 May ’10 June ’10 Q2 ’10 % chg. July ’10 Aug. ’10 Sept. ’10 Q3 ’10 % chg.

Charleston International 93,059 95,353 96,845 285,257 29% 95,022 89,863 85,014 269,899 -5%

GSP International 51,653 55,641 60,105 167,399 19% 62,159 57,204 53,504 172,867 3%

Hilton Head Island 7,596 7,912 7,947 23,455 50% 7,629 7,617 7,266 22,512 -4%

Myrtle Beach International 69,574 94,551 83,418 247,543 49% 111,046 112,584 85,888 309,518 20%

Columbia Metropolitan 44,627 45,370 44,112 134,109 18% 43,647 41,920 40,611 126,178 -6%

Total 857,763 32% 900,974 4%

Source: Individual airports

2010 Hotel Occupancy Rates

Jan.0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

JuneFeb. JulyMar. Aug.Apr. Sep.May Oct.Source: Smith Travel Research

45.0

45.3 52.554.7 55.7 55.0

60.763.5

60.056.1 57.4

53.057.9 58.3 58.9

64.967.9

63.959.9

61.3

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GreenwoodSpot l ight

It has been a busy year for Greenwood

County offi cials. Th ree major economic

development announcements have been

made so far in 2010, amounting to approxi-

mately $20.25 million in investment into the

region and the creation of 121 jobs.

Capsugel kicked off 2010 with news of

its $15 million expansion that is expected to

create 50 new jobs. Capsugel manufactures

liquid capsules for the pharmaceutical and

health food industries and already employs

more than 700 workers at its Greenwood facil-

ity. Th e company is planning a 14,500-square-

foot expansion that will create additional of-

fi ce, lab and production space. It is scheduled

to be completed by January 2011.

Jatco Inc., a plastic molding and manufac-

turing company, followed with an announce-

ment that it will invest $2 million to create a new

production facility and generate as many as 39

jobs. Most recently, Ascend Performance Ma-

terials announced it would invest $3.25 million

to expand its existing Greenwood County

plant and hire up to 32 more workers over

three years. Ascend produces nylon industrial

fi ber used in applications such as airbags, tire

cord and military products.

“Ascend Performance Materials could have

expanded anywhere in the world and chose

Greenwood. Th is is a strong testament to the

conducive business climate this state has and

the fact that the Upstate is a great location for

businesses to enjoy continued successes,” Hal

Johnson, president and CEO of the Upstate

SC Alliance, said in a statement.

Located about an hour south of Greenville,

Greenwood benefi ts from a strong economic

development team made up of Greenwood

County government, the Greater Greenwood

Chamber of Commerce, the Greenwood Part-

nership Alliance and the Upstate Alliance.

Th e region once prospered from railroads

and textiles, but in more recent years, the re-

gion has landed large manufacturing compa-

nies, including Fuji Photo Film, which has in-

vested more than $1.5 billion in Greenwood,

and Velux, the world’s largest manufacturer of

roof windows and skylights.

Greenwood has also become known for its

health care and research institutions. In July,

Self Regional Healthcare became the fi rst hos-

pital in the Southeast — and the fourth facility

in the nation — to use BrainSUITE iCT, an

advanced surgical imaging technology that al-

lows surgeons to view images not only of the

brain, but also of the neck and back where sur-

gical precision is critical, during operations.

Self Regional Healthcare began in 1951

as Self Memorial Hospital. Along with emer-

gency and urgent care services, the hospital

has grown into a 421-bed facility that off ers

advanced care services through its Cancer

Center, Heart Center, Women’s Center and

Wound Healing Institute. Th e hospital also

specializes in neurosurgery, vascular, neurol-

ogy and bariatric services.

In addition, the area is home to the Green-

wood Genetic Center, which opened in 1974

and provides clinical genetic services and

laboratory testing, and the J.C. Self Research

Institute of Human Genetics, which opened

as part of the Genetic Center in 1996. Scien-

tists at the J.C. Self Research Institute study

the causes, treatment and prevention of birth

defects and mental retardation.

Th e S.C. Biotechnology Incubation Facili-

ty is a startup facility for businesses with com-

mercial applications for life sciences products

and processes. A 500-acre Biotechnology Park

has been created adjacent to the incubation

facility.

Greenwood offi cials also tout the region’s

quality of life, which includes a rich arts and

culture scene in uptown Greenwood, a variety

of opportunities for recreation countywide,

and a top-notch education system, which

includes Piedmont Technical College and

Lander University. SCBIZ

GREENWOOD FACTS69,671Greenwood County population, 2009456 square milesGreenwood County areaMAJOR EMPLOYERS

Photos supplied by Greater Greenwood Chamber of Commerce

By Allison Cooke Oliverius,

Special Projects Editor

Self Regional Healthcare ........................... 2,248S.C. state government................................ 1,159Fuji Photo Film Inc. ................................... 1,050Solutia Inc. ................................................... 950Greenwood County School District ............... 755Greenwood Packing Plant ............................ 740Capsugel – Division of Pfi zer ........................ 680Eaton/Cutler-Hammer ................................... 490Covidien ........................................................ 470VELUZ Greenwood Inc. ................................. 450Source: Greenwood Partnership Alliance, employers

http://scspinecenter.org/


Photo/Renee Ittner McManus/rimphotography.com

Haley’s TurnA big state budget hole could derail any efforts by

Gov.-elect Nikki Haley to impose her agenda at the Statehouse

By James T. Hammond & Mike Fitts, Staff Writers

Nikki Haley emerged victori-

ous as the state’s next gov-

ernor aft er an 18-month

campaign. She now has one

month to be ready to face

a volatile political environment and a major

budget crisis.

Haley, 38, was elected Nov. 2 to be the 116th

governor of South Carolina. Th e daughter of

Sikh parents from the Punjab region of India,

she’s the fi rst woman, and the fi rst person of

Asian descent, to be elected the state’s chief

executive. Th e Lexington County Republican

state representative defeated Democratic state

Sen. Vincent Sheheen, 51% to 47%.

Th e move catapults Haley from the role of

rebellious back-bencher to that of governor.

Haley clashed with House and Senate lead-

ers over voting transparency and other issues

during her time in the S.C. House; now, those

relationships could be vitally important in her

term as governor.

Haley will take offi ce from Gov. Mark San-

ford, another outsider who struggled to work

with leaders in the Legislature.

At a raucous Election Night celebration,

Haley said her victory was a mandate to

change the way government operates in South

Carolina.

“We wanted it to be about jobs, and we

wanted government to remember that every

dollar was not government’s money, it was the

taxpayers’ dollars,” Haley said. “And now it’s

time for us to get to work for you.”

The challengesOtis Rawl, president and CEO of the S.C.

Chamber of Commerce, said big fi nancial

challenges will quickly confront the new gov-

ernor and Legislature.

Th e state faces a $1 billion shortfall, in-

cluding the money needed for Medicaid, and

that will come before any ambitions about tax

reform can be addressed.

“Staring at them is a budget dilemma

they’ve got to solve,” Rawl said.

John Rainey, chairman of the state Board

of Economic Advisors, appointed by Sanford,

said, “We’re faced with an overwhelming

problem next year, approaching a $1 billion

shortfall between revenue and current spend-

ing.

“She’s going to need every good mind she

can assemble to lead the state through some

very tough economic times. We’re going to

continue to have high unemployment.”

Rainey, who has been an active supporter

of Republican gubernatorial candidates since

Carroll Campbell, broke with the GOP before

the election, openly questioning Haley’s in-

tegrity. He questioned whether the Republi-

can mantra for more tax cuts will address the

looming fi scal crisis.

“Tax cuts may stimulate growth over time,”

Rainey said. “But we don’t have time. I don’t

know where we’ll get the money” to avoid $1

billion in spending cuts.

“We’re approaching the likelihood of elim-

inating entire agencies of state government,”

he said.

Burnie Maybank, a Nexsen Pruet attorney

and a key player on economic development in

the Statehouse, has been chairman of the S.C.

Tax Realignment Commission, which is craft -

ing an overhaul of state taxes.

But he said he thinks the political tenor of

the times and the fi nancial crisis shaking state

government make it unlikely that TRAC will

be taken up in 2011, Maybank said.

“Th e political environment is just so toxic,”

he said.

Move toward cooperationHaley should be able to build a better rap-

port with key lawmakers than Sanford did, at

least in the short term, Maybank said. May-

bank endorsed Haley’s general election cam-

paign.

In her Cabinet choices and early moves,

Haley will have an opportunity to show that

she’s diff erent from Sanford, Maybank said.

Business and legislative leaders will be watch-

ing for it, he said.

Haley picked David Wilkins, a former S.C.

House speaker and U.S. ambassador to Cana-

da, as chairman of her transition team.

Haley noted that Wilkins has been part of

fi ve gubernatorial transitions, saying she sees

his veteran guidance as important as her team

looks to get moving.

“He knows what went right and what went

wrong,” Haley said.

Wilkins said he has confi dence in Haley’s

skills to be a successful governor, despite the

fi nancial and political challenges ahead. Haley

is a hard worker and “a great communicator,”

Wilkins said.

She emphasized that she is interested in

bringing new blood to top leadership posts

in Columbia. Haley wants to see “good busi-

nesspeople in the agencies,” people who

know that time is money for those who

have business with state government, she

said.

Rawl said Haley and lawmakers need to

give businesses the certainty and increased

confi dence they need to get off the sidelines

and move forward. Working to strengthen

the Commerce Department and encouraging

more job growth would be ways to do that, he

said.

A vital early issue, to Rawl, is making sure

that the Port of Charleston is ready to com-

pete once bigger ships begin moving through

the Panama Canal. Th e port is a major job

creator, Rawl emphasized, and needs to stay

competitive.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said he will

work with Haley to get the resources to im-

prove the port, including going aft er federal

money to deepen the harbor.

“Th e state can’t aff ord the $350 million to

$400 million cost of deepening the port. Th e

federal way is the only way,” Graham said.

“I’m convinced the Port of Charleston must

be deepened. To allow it to become noncom-

petitive would be a disaster.”

Rawl expects there to be considerable mo-

mentum toward cooperation in the Statehouse

because of the challenges ahead.

“Everyone understands we’re in a deep

hole,” Rawl said.


U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham said Gov.-elect Nikki Haley

has the opportunity to “start over with the Legislature

with a conservative reform agenda that will unite

people.” (Photo/File)


Republican movementGraham said Haley has an opportunity to

help the Republican Party grow in South Car-

olina and nationally aft er her win.

“She has an opportunity to start over with

the Legislature with a conservative reform

agenda that will unite people,” Graham said

during a conference call aft er her win.

Haley identifi ed early in her political ca-

reer with Sanford’s libertarian leanings. She

was openly supported by Sanford and his ex-

wife, Jenny Sanford. Her campaign took off

following her endorsement by Sarah Palin on

the S.C. Statehouse steps.

In winning her party’s nomination, Haley

defeated three white, male, Republican establish-

ment politicians who ran from the elected posts

of lieutenant governor (Andre Bauer), attorney

general (Henry McMaster) and U.S. House of

Representatives (Gresham Barrett). SCBIZ

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Economist Bruce Yandle expects there will be positive, albeit

weak, economic growth in 2011 as South Carolina and the

nation “claw” their way out of the Great Recession.

While there are many factors involved in the economic recovery, all

eyes are on the unemployment rate as an indicator of how things will

progress, Yandle said. South Carolina reported a 10.7% unemployment

rate for October, down from 11% in September and 11.1% in August.

SIGNS OF

improvBy Allison Cooke Oliverius


vement2011 ECONOMIC FORECAST


INVESTMENT

$200,000,000

$400,000,000

$300,000,000

$100,000,000

COMPANY NAME

RANK 1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH 5TH 6TH

$500,000,000

$700,000,000

$600,000,000

$800,000,000

$900,000,000

$1,000,000,000

FIRST QUALITY TISSUE

ZF GROUP S.C. TISSUE LLC HUSQVARNA NORTH AMERICA

PROTERRA INC. MOHAWK INDUSTRIES INC.

$1B

1,000

$350M

900

900900

900

NA$68M

1,300

$60MNA

PROTERRA INC.Proterra was formed in 2004 to design and

construct electric transit buses. The Colorado-

based company selected Greenville for its

permanent research and assembly facility.

TOP 10 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ANNOUNCEMENTS BY INVESTMENT

“Th at was the second decline in two

months running now, and 10.7% feels pretty

good, considering. I would say the prospects

are bright for the continued decline of unem-

ployment in South Carolina, but still staying

at a high level relative to history. I expect we

will still see South Carolina in the low to mid-

9% range for 2011,” Yandle said.

South Carolina showed growth of 10,700

nonagricultural jobs in October, accord-

ing to the S.C. Department of Employment

and Workforce. Th is includes private-sector

growth of 7,300 jobs and an increase of 3,400

in government jobs. Growth was seen across

several industries in the private sector. Th ose

were construction, up 2,700; manufacturing,

up 1,100; retail trade, up 1,900; professional

and business services, up 2,000; and educa-

tion and health services, up 1,300.

Manufacturing has experienced an overall

increase of more than 5,000 jobs over the past

12 months.

“South Carolina’s economy is tightly linked

to the nation’s manufacturing engine,” Yandle

said in his most recent economic report. “Th is

is a curse when there is a manufacturing re-

cession, but a real blessing (when) the big fac-

tory starts running again.”

Nationally, the auto industry is leading the

charge in recovery.

“Bailouts seem to matter, but there is some

real growth taking place, too,” Yandle said.

“Th e state’s automotive sector is healthy and

expanding, and we have an air transportation

sector that is building, too.”

Construction, home salesAlthough the number of construction jobs

increased in October, Yandle said the industry

is not expected to experience a meaningful in-

crease in activity in 2011.

In the latest report from the Carolinas As-

sociated General Contractors, those in the

industry expect the low level of public works

construction to continue next year, account-

ing for much of the diminished expectations

for overall growth in 2011.

Home sales are not expected to experience

much of an uptick, either. “An excess of supply

was at the root of the cause of the Great Reces-

sion,” Yandle said. “Nationally, it’s estimated

that there are 3 million too many homes built

and for sale. South Carolina did not partici-

pate in that overproduction as much as other

states, but we have some of it. What has to

happen is the absorption of existing houses

before building permit activity can pick up.

And a good many are bank-owned, so we’ll be

wrestling with that for a while.”

Bright spotsEducation and health services will be bright

spots for the state’s economy, Yandle said, and

both sectors are driven by federal funding and

federal stimulus activities. Th e health sector

will continue to experience a higher demand

for services as the state’s population ages.

Th ere has also been some improvement in

retail sales, a sector that has been led by auto

sales and other big-ticket items. Yandle ex-

pects this trend to continue. Consumers have

spent the last year and a half cutting back on

spending, and increasing savings and paying

off debt where possible.


“The state’s automotive sector

is healthy and expanding, and

we have an air transportation

sector that is building, too.”

Bruce YandleEconomist

Source: S.C. Department of Commerce


JOBS CREATED

100200

7 TH - TIE 8TH 9TH - TIE 10TH

300400500600700

8009001,0001,1001,2001,300

SOUTHEAST RENEW-ABLE ENERGY

DEFENSE VENTURE GROUP

IMO GROUP KRONOTEX USA PARKDALE MILLS INC.

MTU DETROIT DIESEL INC.

AKEBONO BRAKE CORP.

$50M20

$50M

220

$47M

190

$45M $45M

RETAINING 145

250 283

$45M $35.6M40

KRONOTEX USAKronotex USA’s expansion will enhance clean

energy development and increase production

capacity by 60%, as well as create 40 jobs.

MTU DETROIT DIESEL INC.MTU celebrated the grand opening of its engine

production facility in Aiken on Dec. 1. The plant is

expected to employ up to 250 people within four years.

KKKKKKKKKRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOTTTEEEXXX UUUUSSSSSAAAA MMMMMMMMMMMMMTTTTTTTTTTTTTTUUUUUUUUU DDEEEEETTTTTTTTTTRRRRRRROOIIITTTTTTTTT DDDDDDDDDIIIIIIIEEEEEEEESSSSEEELL INNNNNNNNNCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

“Th ere has been some relaxation in the

minds of consumers with respect to not only

‘how are we going to manage and pay our

bills,’ and getting used to a slower economy

than the one we were experiencing when we

ran off the tracks,” he said.

Professional and business services indus-

tries are expected to pick up in 2011. “We

should see a recovery in terms of employment

growth, and that sector is important with re-

spect to accounting, fi nance, consulting pro-

fessionals — all of those knowledge economy

activities,” Yandle said.

Looking forwardAs for the current economic climate,

Yandle said data indicate there is real growth

in gross domestic product. As things stand,

the economy should see 2.5% to 3% growth in

the year ahead, he predicted.

On another positive note, a recent survey

of commercial banking senior loan offi cers

show that reserve positions are improving and

more lending is taking place.

“Th is adds to a sense of optimism about

the year ahead and removes some concern

about swooning into a double-dip recession,”

Yandle said. SCBIZ

SCBIZ staff writers contributed to this report.

The State Board of Economic Advisors

forecast some growth in revenues for this

year and the next during Chairman John

Rainey’s fi nal meeting.

The board raised its projection for this

year’s state revenue by 1.5%, citing growth

in individual and corporate income taxes. Tax

receipts already are $94 million more than the

year before, an increase of 4%.

The forecast adds a projected $229 million

to state coffers for the year, but several agen-

cies are expected to run defi cits. One, the De-

partment of Health and Human Services, has

said it expects to be over budget by $228 mil-

lion.

The board also forecast an additional 1%

growth in income for the next fi scal year.

The forecast for this year refl ects “some

mellow optimism” from Rainey and the board

that there’s some economic growth afoot in the

state, the recently resigned chairman said.

Withholding taxes are above expectations,

but the state’s unemployment numbers have

not dropped much. To Rainey and the board,

that means companies are adding hours of

work, but not new employees.

Part of the state’s business growth will have

to be diverted to repay the debt owed to the

federal government for unemployment insur-

ance. The state must repay $1 billion more

than its usual unemployment insurance under

the new plan being implemented to cover debt

accrued by the former Employment Security

Commission.

That will take a total of 1% of the state’s

growth and send it to Washington, the board

noted. “That was not an inconsequential mis-

hap” by the commission, Rainey said.

Rainey said he submitted his resignation to

Gov. Mark Sanford the day after the election,

effective as of the end of the day Nov. 10.

Before the election, Rainey had spoken out

on what he thought might be ethical violations

by then-candidate Nikki Haley. Rainey said the

decision to resign was his alone. After eight

years, he said, it’s simply time for someone

else to lead the board.

— Mike Fitts, Staff Writer

Board sees some economic growth in state

Growth during the recession

After experiencing a sharp decline in business

during the recession, several S.C. businesses

have been lucky enough to fi nd themselves on a

fast track to regrowth.

Sage Automotive supplies automotive seat-

ing fabric to original equipment manufacturers

worldwide, including Toyota, GM, Ford, Nissan,

Honda and Hyundai. The Greenville-based com-

pany operates fi ve manufacturing facilities in

North America, four of them in South Carolina.

which meant the company needed to restructure in

2008 and 2009. At the same time, Milliken & Co.,

then owner of Sage Automotive, decided to exit the

auto business and concentrate on other sectors.

Pieper, who worked for Milliken for 30 years,

along with other management, decided to acquire

the company. “There weren’t a lot of people loan-

ing money in the automotive sector,” he said. “It

was extremely painful because no one wanted to

loan money and the industry outlook was one with

some pretty dark clouds.” Greenville-based Azalea

Capital and Milliken helped execute the sale.

Right after the sale in September 2009, the

government bailed out GM and Chrysler and then

offered the Cash for Clunkers incentive, which gave

Sage Automotive a boost right out of the gate. The

company has gone from 911 employees in Sep-

tember 2009 to nearly 1,090 today.

Even with the pullback of incentive programs,

the industry continues to experience growth.

“The outlook in Detroit is very bullish,” Pieper

said. “We will continue to see growth in the next

year ... from the perspective of the industry, it

should be about 10%.”

ScanSource, a wholesaler for technology prod-

ucts including barcode scanners, telephone sys-

tems and security cameras, stayed afl oat during the

recession fi rst by reducing its work force through

attrition, and second by issuing pay cuts across the

board, rather than laying off employees.

“March of 2009 was the worst for us,” President

Mike Baur said. “But from then on, we have seen

nice, steady improvement.” In fact, ScanSource

recently experienced two consecutive quarters of

record sales, and the company hired about 20 em-

ployees during the past six months.

“There are still some challenging areas,” he

said, adding that huge growth isn’t in the forecast.

“We see steady growth for 2011, and we have

made our way back to where we were a year and

a half ago.”

ScanSource employs 1,200 people worldwide,

including about 400 at its Greenville headquarters.

In 2007, the automotive industry experienced

one of its strongest years; between 16 million and

17 million vehicles were produced or sold in North

America. That number dropped to about 6.5 million

in 2008 and 2009.

“Our customers became bloated in inventory,

cut production schedules and had signifi cant cash

fl ow problems. Two of our largest customers went

into bankruptcy,” CEO Dirk Pieper said.

There was a signifi cant downturn in business,



Photo/ScanSource Inc.

Photo/Sage Automotive Interiors

http://mgclaw.com/


Best Places to Work 2010

LARGE EMPLOYERS (250 OR MORE EMPLOYEES IN SC)

Rank Company1............Edward Jones

2............Colonial Life

3............Elliott Davis

4............Palmetto Health

5............Select Health of South Carolina Inc.

6............AgFirst Farm Credit Bank

7............Blackbaud Inc.

SMALL/MEDIUM EMPLOYERS (15-249 EMPLOYEES IN SC)

Rank Company1............Barling Bay LLC

2............SynTerra Corp.

3............ArborOne ACA

4............Johnson & Johnson

5............Life Cycle Engineering

6............VC3 Inc.

7............Hilliard Lyons

8............First Community Bank

9............First Reliance Bank

10..........McAngus, Goudelock & Courie LLC

11..........C.F. Evans & Co. Inc.

12..........Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union

13..........Pee Dee Electric Cooperative Inc.

14..........Mars Petcare

15..........S.C. Education Lottery

16..........Human Technologies Inc.

17..........Buist Moore Smythe McGee P.A.

18..........Rosenfeld Einstein

Best Places to Work in South Carolina is an initiative between SC Biz News — pub-

lisher of the Charleston Regional Business Journal, the Columbia Regional Business

Report, GSA Business and SCBIZ magazine — and Best Companies Group.

Th e focus of the program is to fi nd and recognize South Carolina’s best employers. In

addition to the positive impact the award has on employee relations and recruitment, the

driving force for companies to join in the program is the remarkable impact workplace

improvements can have on their bottom line.

Best Companies Group, assisted by the workplace excellence consulting fi rm

ModernTh ink LLC, conducts a simple, yet thorough, assessment of participating compa-

nies.

Companies that participate are involved in a two-part process. In part one, the employ-

er completes a questionnaire; in part two, employees of the company complete a survey.

Th e collected information from both assessments is combined to produce a detailed set

of data enabling the experts at ModernTh ink to determine the strengths and opportuni-

ties of the participating companies. ModernTh ink ranks the workplaces based on this data

and then creates the Assessment Findings Reports that are returned to each participating

company.

Th e goal of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina campaign is to raise the bar for

our state’s employers and create the kind of excellence and employee satisfaction in the

workplace that will attract talented people for years to come.

We are convinced that the real value in participation in the program is not whether

a company wins an award but in the employee survey feedback. Th e cost an individual

company would have to pay if the analysis were done independently would be consider-

ably more; economies of scale apply when Best Places Group conducts a survey with a

large number of participants from the same state. And the employee feedback, which can

be used to improve and streamline an already successful company, is, as they say, priceless.

Th e program, launched in 2006, is open to all S.C. organizations that meet the

eligibility requirements. Companies must:

Be a for-profi t or not-for-profi t business or government entity.•

Be a publicly or privately held business.•

Have a facility in the state of South Carolina.•

Have a minimum of 25 employees in the state of South Carolina. •

Have been in business a minimum of one year.•

For more information, visit www.bestplacestoworksc.com.

Sponsored by

®

http://www.bestplacestoworksc.com/

http://sc.shrm.org/


http://www.scjobmarket.com/

http://www.scchamber.net/


Best Places to Work 2010 Large employers (250 or more employees )

1/3 SADVERTISER NAME

Colonial Life’s brand promise, “Making benefi ts count,” is a phi-

losophy the company applies to its customers and its own em-

ployees.

Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., and founded in 1939, Colonial

Life is a market leader in providing benefi ts solutions in one neat

package: excellence in communications, enrollments, service,

and personal insurance products and services. For employees

whose insurance plans leave them feeling vulnerable, the com-

pany helps restore peace of mind through products and services

that complete their coverage.

Colonial Life has a strong support system in place to make em-

ployees feel they are valued. At every possible opportunity, the

company gives employees the fl exibility to do their jobs to the

best of their ability. Employees have access to an onsite Wellness

Center that includes fi tness classes and equipment. Th e onsite

Health Resource Center is staff ed by a nurse educator who works

on health programs and opportunities for employees. Th e Em-

ployee Social Council organizes events and provides discounted

tickets for local entertainment and sporting events. A corporate

chaplain is available to employees at no cost.

Th e company also strives to be a good corporate neighbor in the

Midlands community. Colonial Life sponsors activities through-

out the year by donating funds and resources. Some of these

sponsorships provide employees the opportunity to take part in

activities on the clock with manager discretion and approval.

“Our position as one of the Best Places to Work is a testament

to the value we place in our employees,” said Randy Horn, presi-

dent and CEO. “We strive to create an environment where our

employees know they’re making a diff erence both at work and in

our community.”

1200 Colonial Life Boulevard | Columbia, SC 29210

(803) 798-7000

www.coloniallife.com

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http://www.coloniallife.com/


http://www.agfirst.com/


Best Places to Work 2010 Large employers (250 or more employees )

1/3 SADVER-TISER NAME





Edward Jones works with clients to un-

derstand personal goals — from college

savings to retirement — and create long-

term investment solutions that emphasize

a well-balanced portfolio and a buy-and-

hold strategy. Edward Jones embraces the

importance of building long-term, face-

to-face relationships with clients, helping

them understand and make sense of the

investment options available today.

Select Health of South Carolina, the

state’s largest Medicaid health plan, has a

special concern for low-income families

and its mission is to help people get care,

stay well and build healthy communities.

Its mission and award-winning wellness

program, Select Wellness, are highly re-

garded among employees.

Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., and

founded in 1925, Elliott Davis is one of

the largest accounting, tax and consult-

ing services fi rms in the Southeast. With

10 offi ces and more than 400 employees,

the fi rm provides its clients with smart

solutions and its people with rewarding

opportunities.

Blackbaud is the leading global provider

of soft ware and services designed specifi -

cally for nonprofi t organizations, off er-

ing solutions for fundraising, constitu-

ent relationship management, fi nancial

management, website management and

more A publicly traded company that

values innovation, the career and learn-

ing opportunities at Blackbaud are end-

less. Headquartered in Charleston, S.C.,

Blackbaud also has operations in Austra-

lia, Canada, Hong Kong, the Netherlands

and the United Kingdom.

Part of the Columbia community since

1916, AgFirst Farm Credit Bank has

grown as Columbia has grown. With as-

sets exceeding $30 billion, AgFirst is the

largest fi nancial institution headquartered

in South Carolina. Th e bank is part of the

Farm Credit System, a nationwide net-

work of agricultural lenders and the larg-

est single lender to agriculture in the U.S.

Top Executive:

Wendell Jones, Financial Advisor

602 S. Coit St., Florence, SC 29501

843-661-6441

4390 Belle Oaks Drive, Suite 400

North Charleston, SC 29405

843-569-1759

www.selecthealthofsc.com

200 E. Broad St.

Greenville, SC 29601

864-242-3370

www.elliottdavis.com

2000 Daniel Island Drive

Charleston, SC 29492

800-443-9441

[email protected]

www.blackbaud.com

1401 Hampton St., P.O. Box 1499

Columbia, SC 29202-1499

803-799-5000

www.agfi rst.com

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Palmetto Health is the region’s largest,

most comprehensive locally owned non-

profi t health care resource, with nearly

9,000 employees, 1,000 physicians and

more than 1,000 licensed beds. Palmetto

Health is recognized as a best place for

patient care, best results and a best place

to work. For more information, visit

PalmettoHealth.org.

293 Greystone Blvd

Columbia, SC 29210

803-296-2273 (CareCall /Call Center)

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http://www.edwardjones.com/en_US/fa/index.html&CIRN=522305

http://www.elliottdavis.com/

http://www.palmettohealth.org/

http://www.selecthealthofsc.com/

http://www.agfirst.com/

http://www.blackbaud.com/


http://arborone.com/


Best Places to Work 2010 Small/Medium Employers (15 - 249 employees )


Palmetto Citizens Federal Credit Union

As a not-for-profi t institution organized in 1936, Palmetto Citizens is known

for off ering better loan and savings rates and fewer fees than profi t-driven

banks. However, the real diff erence is their staff and the friendly, personalized

service they provide.

Members know they can turn to Palmetto Citizens for fi nancial advice and to

fi nd the right products to meet their needs and budgets. Oft en recognized for

their “family atmosphere,” Palmetto Citizens builds a unique trust with mem-

bers by looking out for their best interests, fi rst and foremost.

To ensure they are off ering the right solutions to their 48,000 members, Pal-

metto Citizens places a large focus on fi nancial education, not just for those

they serve, but for their staff , as well. By equipping staff with the knowledge

they need to achieve their own fi nancial goals, they are able to provide better

guidance to members.

Palmetto Citizens applies the philosophy of “people helping people” to mem-

bers and the community through their commitment to their staff . Develop-

ment programs to help staff grow within the organization, robust benefi t

packages with salary incentives and ongoing community involvement all help

the staff of this organization truly feel they are given a place to succeed while

making a real diff erence.

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Twelve Midlands Locations & 35 ATMs

(803) 732-5000

[email protected]

www.palmettocitizens.org

PCFCU Staff at the Grand Opening of their newest offi ce in Red Bank

http://www.palmettocitizens.org/




Barling BayBarling Bay provides leading edge solutions to federal government and private sector customers with a focus on systems engineering,

information assurance/cyber security, research and development, and program management and administration. Its mission is to provide

the highest quality professional services and products at the most cost eff ective price for its customers.

In addition to being selected as one of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina for 2010, Barling Bay was also selected third of the state’s

25 Fastest Growing Companies.

Barling Bay is headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska and its corporate offi ces are in Charleston, S.C.

It also has locations in Houston and Washington, D.C. and locations outside the U.S.

Th e company’s success is rooted in its corporate values, which include a commitment to ethics and excellence. Its employees are encouraged

to do what’s right, do their best, maintain a dedication to excellence and innovation as well as have fun and enjoy their journey.

Barling Bay participates in and develops initiatives to support the local communities where it has offi ces.

It is also an organization of people who value one another and who treat each other and their customers with respect. Its leadership believes

in creating and fostering a work environment in which employees continually

demonstrate that they respect opinions, attitudes, attributes and feelings of

anyone with whom they come in contact during their daily work.

“At Barling Bay, we believe that our employees are our No. 1 asset.”

www.barlingbay.com

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http://www.barlingbay.com/

http://www.jjins.com/




VC3 VC3 has been on the leading edge of Information Technology since 1994,

providing a full range of IT services to both the private and public sectors in

South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia. Headquartered in Columbia,

S.C., VC3 was named one of South Carolina’s Fastest-Growing Companies in

2007 and again in 2008. Most recently, VC3 ranked sixth of the Best Places to

Work in South Carolina 2010.

VC3 is a member of the Consortium for Enterprise Systems Management

(CESM) and will be involved in managing the day-to-day operation of the

CESM Data Center located in our new headquarters, Th e Tower at 1301 Ger-

vais Street. Our move will take place in early 2011. Be on the lookout for open

house dates!

Our company’s professionals implement IT projects and services to provide

above average returns on investment, signifi cantly enhance productivity and

lower technology ownership costs. Services include but are not limited to:

managed support services, technology assessments, VCIO services, hosted

desktop, premise and hosted voice, disaster recovery, security audits, website

design and application development.

For more information on VC3 and to view our full suite of solutions, please

visit us at www.VC3.com.

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1509 Lady Street | Columbia, SC 29201

800-787-1160

[email protected]

www.VC3.com


First Community Bank

First Community Bank is proud to have been named a Best Place to Work in South Carolina for the third year in a row. It is the

dedication and commitment of the bank’s employees that truly makes First Community a great place to work and it is through

their eff orts that the bank was able to earn this recognition.

First Community Bank’s vision is to be the provider of choice for fi nancial solutions to local businesses, entrepreneurs and

professionals in the markets it serves. As First Community pursues its vision, it remains focused on the three core values that

have existed since the bank was formed: ensuring quality and integrity in every endeavor; maintaining a passionate focus on the

customer experience; and upholding mutual respect for employees and their role in the bank’s success.

Th e bank’s product off erings are oriented around three main lines of

business: commercial banking, residential mortgage banking, and fi nancial

planning and investment advisory services. Experienced professionals in

each of these areas work with customers to provide advice, service and

support to help them achieve their fi nancial goals and objectives.

Founded in 1995, First Community is based in Lexington, S.C., and has

11 banking offi ces in the Midlands. Learn more about First Community

at www.fi rstcommunitysc.com.

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http://www.vc3.com/

http://www.firstcommunitysc.com/




First Reliance Bank

First Reliance Bank’s commitment to making its customers’ lives better has resulted in the bank being named to South Carolina’s “Best Places to

Work” list for 2010. Th is is the fi ft h consecutive year the S.C. Chamber of Commerce has named First Reliance to its annual ranking of the state’s

best places to work. Th e chamber honored the bank at an awards ceremony in October at the Marriott in Columbia, S.C.

“An important goal of First Reliance Bank is to provide associates with an incredible work experience,” said Rick Saunders, President and CEO.

“We do this with the guidance of a committed and caring leadership team, giving associates an opportunity to do their best work, and providing

rewards and recognition that make their lives better.”

First Reliance Bank’s unique culture focuses on providing our customers with an incredible experience and that can only be accomplished with a

team of highly motivated, service-oriented associates. Saunders noted that First Reliance associates are a special group who appreciate being able

to use their individual talents to serve their customers and community.

“We go to great lengths to recruit people who are committed to our purpose of making the lives of our customers better,” Saunders said.

He added that, along with the bank’s unique, custom-designed programs and unmatched convenience, the company’s associates are a key reason

why the bank has achieved a 98% customer satisfaction rating.

“We are very proud of our team’s commitment and appreciate being recognized as one of the Best places to work in South Carolina,” Saunders

said.

First Reliance Bank, founded in 1999, has assets of approximately $600 million and employs more than 145 highly talented associates. Th e bank

serves West Columbia, Lexington, Mount Pleasant, Charleston and Florence markets in South Carolina.

Th e bank was also recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in South Carolina by SCBIZ magazine for fi ve consecutive years and was named

2009 Lender of the Year by the S.C. Housing Authority.

First Reliance’s commitment to making its customers’ lives better, and the idea that “Th ere’s More to Banking Th an Money,” has earned the young

bank a customer satisfaction rating of 98% (Lamothe & Associates Inc.) and the No. 1 market share in its headquarters city of Florence, S.C.

First Reliance Bank is traded as FSRL.OB. Information about the company is available at www.fi rstreliance.com.

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Pee Dee Electric Cooperative Pee Dee Electric Cooperative has been serving six counties in northeastern South

Carolina for 71 years. Th e company maintains hundreds of millions of dollars in

infrastructure as it provides the region with reliable and aff ordable electricity.

Th e infrastructure, however, is not the heart of the company — it’s the employees.

“All this (poles, lines, equipment) would be worth nothing without the men and

women who manage it,” said E. LeRoy “Toy” Nettles, president and CEO. “In my

view, our employees are the greatest asset of Pee Dee Electric.”

Toward that end, PDEC off ers many programs to enhance the work experience

and quality of life for its employees. Workers are encouraged to take advantage

of training and educational opportunities. Reimbursement for tuition, fees and

books for college, technical school or correspondence courses have all helped

many employees increase their knowledge and skills as well as stimulate superior

performance and growth.

Th e company also off ers a defi ned benefi t pension plan for eligible employees with

all contributions made by the cooperative. Th is, along with a 401(k) plan, health

insurance and wellness programs, makes Pee Dee Electric an exceptional work-

place.

Based in Darlington, Pee Dee Electric Cooperative, a nonprofi t electric distribu-

tion utility, is owned by the members it serves and is locally governed by a board

of trustees elected from the membership.

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PeeDeeElectric.com

http://www.firstreliance.com/

http://PeeDeeElectric.com/



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Hilliard Lyons focuses on the creation,

preservation and distribution of clients’

wealth. Th e fi rm specializes in planning

issues that include retirement, business

succession, trust and estate planning and

education funding. Hilliard Lyons off ers

comprehensive fi nancial services and ad-

vice, including managed accounts from

the country’s premier managers, as well

as a broad menu of investment vehicles

to facilitate the strategies recommended.

Founded in 1995 in Columbia, McAngus

Goudelock & Courie is a young, full-

service law fi rm with six offi ces in North

Carolina and South Carolina. In 14 years,

the fi rm has grown from four attorneys

to more than 100. Originally a boutique

workers’ compensation fi rm, MG&C

now off ers comprehensive legal services

in a wide range of practice areas.

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Top Executive: Quincy Kennedy IV

2051 Elijah Ludd Road, Florence, SC 29501

800-707-6997 • Fax: 843-662-9620

www.hilliard.com

Meridian, 10th Floor

1320 Main St., Columbia, SC 29201

803-779-2300 • www.mgclaw.com

McAngus Goudelock & Courie has offi ces in

Columbia, Charleston, Greenville and Myrtle

Beach, S.C., and Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C.

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SynTerra, a consulting and engineering

fi rm in Greenville, S.C., specializes in the

environmental, process, civil and trans-

portation fi elds. Typical services include:

regulatory compliance; remediation;

brownfi elds redevelopment; wetlands;

hydrogeology; and civil, roadway, inter-

section and bridge design. Our clients

range from manufacturing, industrial

and commercial operations to local, state

and federal government agencies.

ArborOne Farm Credit is an agricul-

tural lending cooperative owned by its

member-borrowers. It provides loans for

farming (land, equipment, livestock and

production); recreational property; crop

insurance; and rural home mortgages. A

part of the national Farm Credit System,

ArborOne covers the 12 counties of the

Pee Dee region of South Carolina.

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148 River St., Suite 220


864-527-4644

Fax: 864-679-3744

800 Woody Jones Blvd.

Florence, SC 29501

1-800-741-7332

www.ArborOne.com

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Life Cycle Engineering is a strengths-

based organization where employees are

given the opportunity to grow personally

and professionally each day in a fun, sup-

portive work environment. LCE’s culture

promotes a strong balance between work-

load and family life, and each individual

is valued by his colleagues and clients.

LCE provides consulting, engineering,

applied technology and education solu-

tions to private industry, government

and the military.

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200 Wingo Way

Mount Pleasant, SC

800-487-7565

www.jjins.com

Top Executive: Jim Fei, CEO

4360 Corporate Road, Charleston, SC 29405

843-744-7110

[email protected] • www.LCE.com

Founded in 1930, Johnson & Johnson,

a wholesale insurance agency, promotes

a family atmosphere where our highly

trained professionals are recognized as

insurance industry leaders. Our success

is built on a foundation of long-term re-

lationships with our independent insur-

ance agents and companies.

http://www.synterracorp.com/

http://www.ArborOne.com/

http://www.jjins.com/

http://www.LCE.com/

http://www.hilliard.com/

http://www.mgclaw.com/



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For owners and developers who need

quality construction on time and with-

in budget, C.F. Evans is a construction

management services fi rm that delivers

trusted, quality construction and world-

class customer service. We build it like

it’s ours and always do the right thing for

everyone involved.

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Top Executive: John P. Evans

125 Regional Parkway, Suite 200

Orangeburg, SC 29118

803-536-6443

E-mail: [email protected]

www.cfevans.com

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Mars Petcare in Columbia is a family-

owned company that produces some of

the world’s most beloved pet food, in-

cluding Pedigree brand food for dogs and

Whiskas brand food for cats. More than

115 associates share their passion for pets

by making nutritious food that pets love

and owners trust.

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P O R T S , L O G I S T I C S & D I S T R I B U T I O N I N S . C .

S.C. Delivers

ISSUE 2

, 2010

A P U B L I C AT I O N O F S C B I Z N E W S

Wide openS.C. State Ports Authority leaders hope the Panama Canal’s

expansion will open the fl oodgates to Far East trade

Page 42

Photo/Panama Canal Authority

38 | S.C. DELIVERS

BRIEFS

S.C. DOT’s plans for $10 milliongrant receive federal approval

COLUMBIA – The S.C.

Department of Transportation

has received the go-ahead to use

the $10 million grant it received

from the U.S. Department of

Transportation for the Interstate

73 project.

The S.C. DOT applied for

$300 million in Transportation

Investment Generating Economic

Recovery grant money for the

project in 2009. The department

received $10 million at that time.

S.C. DOT staff members sub-

mitted plans to the Federal High-

way Administration for improve-

ments to U.S. Highways 501 and

301 that will eventually tie in to

I-73 when construction on that

road begins. The modified plan

for the TIGER grant will meet

the $10 million budget

approved for I-73.

The project

involves the widen-

ing of about one

mile of U.S. 301 and approxi-

mately 1.25 miles of U.S. 501 near

Latta from two lanes to three,

as well as the realignment of the

existing U.S. 501/U.S. 301 inter-

section. Also included will be

the replacement of the Catfish

Church Road bridge over Inter-

state 95 and associated frontage

road relocation.

Interstate 73 is designed to

connect South Carolina and

Michigan.

S.C. DOT Commission Chair-

man Danny Isaac of Myrtle Beach

welcomed the green light from

the highway administration.

“I think the public will be

pleased to see some actual work

begin on I-73,” Isaac said. “The

improvements that will be made

to U.S. 501 and U.S. 301

will bring about immedi-

ate benefits until more

funding for I-73 can be

secured.”

Southwest Airlines announces S.C. routesGREENVILLE – Chicago,

Baltimore/Washington, Nash-

ville, Tenn., and Houston.

Those are the destinations to

which Southwest Airlines will fly

nonstop each day from Charles-

ton International Airport, the

company recently announced.

The discount airline made a

simultaneous announcement in

the Upstate but added Orlando,

Fla., to the mix of destination

cities for Greenville-Spartanburg

International Airport.

The company will be flying

Boeing 737s, which hold 137

passengers, out of South Carolina.

Southwest also plans to add about

40 employees at the airport.

Bob Montgomery, vice presi-

dent of properties for Southwest

Airlines Co., said previous traffic

patterns helped the airline decide

how it wanted to launch in South

Carolina.

“It’s all based on research, and

we found that more people are

coming from these places than

others,” Montgomery said.

The destinations are not

set in stone, however; South-

west could change routes and

likely will expand service. When

asked, company representatives

said there are no direct flights

between Greenville and Charles-

ton because the goal, at least ini-

tially, was to connect the S.C.

markets with existing networks,

not with each other.

“Southwest Airlines is delight-

ed to bring our special brand of

low-fare, high-quality customer

service to travelers in Greenville-

Spartanburg and Charleston,”

said Dave Ridley, Southwest Air-

lines’ senior vice president of

marketing and revenue

management.

The Greenville-Spartanburg

International Airport plans to

expedite facility upgrades

to have space ready for

Southwest Airlines

by the end of the

first quarter of

next year.

Belgian knitting company opens facility in York County

YORK – Lava USA Inc., a

manufacturer of knitted fabrics

for mattress covers, has located its

new operations in York County.

The company invested more

than $3.8 million to renovate a

former plastics manufacturing

facility and expects to add 30 new

jobs over the next five years.

“We are pleased to have our

new plant up and running and

look forward to adding more pro-

duction capacity over the next

few years. York County had an

excellent building available that

suited our needs and provides us

with ample space to grow,” said

Robert Jones, plant manager for

Lava USA.

Lava USA has located its new

textile production and warehouse

facility in the former Sattler Plas-

tics building on Railroad Avenue

in York. The company has already

begun operations at the new facil-

ity and plans to continue adding

machinery to the 100,000-square-

foot facility over the next few

years.

“It is refreshing to see a glob-

ally competitive manufacturing

operation added to York County’s

rich textile history. We welcome

the new jobs and investment from

Lava USA in western York Coun-

ty,” York County Council Chair-

man Buddy Motz said.

The company has already

begun hiring and is accepting

applications. The company plans

to add at least 10 new employ-

ees this year, with more posi-

tions coming open as equipment

is added to the facility.

Lava is a family-owned and

-operated knitting company that

has been in business since 1925.

The company specializes in the

production of knitted fabrics for

mattress covers and has offices

in Belgium as well as the United

States.

The S.C. Department of

Commerce and York County

joined in the announcement.

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40 | S.C. DELIVERS

BRIEFS

Ports Authority hires fi rm to refi ne scope of new passenger terminal

CHARLESTON – The S.C.

State Ports Authority is wast-

ing no time laying the ground-

work for a new, $25 million

cruise passenger terminal, after

announcing in early September

that it would move forward on

the project.

The maritime agency hired

an engineering firm to develop

a more detailed scope of work

and cost estimate for the effort.

The plan will see the SPA’s

cruise operations moved to a

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100,000-square-foot converted

building north of where they’re

currently located at Union Pier.

The authority’s board select-

ed CH2M Hill, headquartered

in Meridian, Colo., to “further

analyze the improvements to the

wharf, building and surround-

ing site necessary for a modern,

appropriate and efficient cruise

facility,” according to a news

release. A contract for the work,

not to exceed $250,000, also was

approved by the board.

CH2M Hill’s work will build

on previous site analysis con-

ducted during a yearlong plan-

ning process and will serve as

the basis for requests for pro-

posals that the SPA will send out

for architectural design services

this fall, the agency said.

Port officials say the project

will reduce traffic at Union Pier,

remove 200 cargo ship calls a

year, eliminate daily rail activity

and make the 63-acre property’s

southern end available to the

public.

BMW Co. traffic also would

be shifted under the plan.

The agency’s collaborative

actions included the formation

of the Cruise Neighbors Advi-

sory Council, which represents

neighborhoods most affected by

the Union Pier Terminal.

The SPA has kept the door

open for a revamping of its

existing cruise terminal, should

the plan stall.

The SPA will solicit design

plans for the redevelopment in

the coming months and begin

the design phase early next year.

That stage should be finished

about a year from now, with

construction set to begin in late

2011.

If all goes well, ships will

be calling on the new terminal

in the third quarter of 2012.

The SPA would then start mas-

ter planning for non-maritime

properties at the terminal, which

could include projects such as a

park around the Bennett Rice

Mill facade.

mailto:[email protected]

S.C. companies to build barges for Navy

YONGES ISLAND – Metal

Trades Inc. will build two new

types of double-hull barges for the

U.S. Navy after being contracted

by Maybank Industries LLC.

Three liquid fuel barges and

one ship waste offloading barge

are slated to be built, each with

identical, 6,900-barrel-capacity

cargo and double hull configura-

tions.

The American Bureau of

Shipping-class barges are being

designed by Bristol Harbor

Group of Bristol, R.I., at

180 feet long and 44 feet

wide. Bluewater Designs

Inc. of Delray Beach, Fla.,

is handling production

engineering services.

This deal marks the

second time that Metal

Trades, Charleston-

based Maybank Indus-

tries and Bristol Harbor

have teamed to design

and build a new type of

double-hull barge for the Navy.

The vessels meet the latest opera-

tional requirements and are in full

compliance with the Oil Pollution

Act of 1990, Metal Trades officials

said in a news release.

The latest contract addresses

two new requirements: a more

compact fuel barge design for

space-constrained facilities and a

new type of double-hull barge

that can offload and discharge

waste from Naval vessels.

Ships built previously

under the partnership

were 14,000-barrel

fuel barges.

Tencarva makes Industrial Distribution’s Big 50 list

NORTH CHARLESTON –

Tencarva Machinery Co. has been

ranked No. 42 in the Big 50 list

of largest industrial distributors

in the United States in the fall

issue of Industrial Distribution

magazine, based on 2009 annual

revenue.

“We are pleased to have expe-

rienced only a 10% drop in our

sales during 2009 and attribute

this relative success to our out-

standing team of employees,”

said Rod Lee, president of Ten-

carva. “We were able to keep our

team intact with no layoffs and

to make strategic investments in

our business during the down-

turn. We have enjoyed growth

in our market share as a result.

Business is now growing again,

and we are fully prepared to take

advantage of the growth.”

This year’s ranking marks the

fifth straight year that Tencarva

has been ranked in the Big 50.

Ed Pearce, secretary-treasurer

of Tencarva, said, “While our

business declined in 2009, our

market share increased. As a

result, our 2010 revenues will be

close to or exceed our 2008 rev-

enues, which were the highest in

the company’s 32-year history.”

Tencarva, based in Greens-

boro, N.C., is a distributor spe-

cializing in pumps, liquid pro-

cess, compressed air, vacuum

equipment and custom-designed

systems for the industrial and

municipal marketplace.

The firm has a branch office

in Greenville.

Tencarva also was ranked

No. 59 in the Grant Thornton

North Carolina 100 listing of the

largest privately held compa-

nies in the state published in the

October 2010 issue of Business

North Carolina. This ranking is

also based on annual revenue in

2009.

S

S.C. DELIVERS | 41

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42 | S.C. DELIVERS

PORT

As the 96-year-old Panama

Canal undergoes a $5 bil-

lion expansion that will

allow many of the world’s larg-

est cargo ships to pass through

its locks, a delegation from the

Charleston area saw the project

fi rsthand recently.

Th e 23-person S.C. delegation,

which included port offi cials,

business leaders and state law-

makers, spent two days in Central

America meeting with Panama

Canal Authority leaders and tour-

ing the facilities.

“We are a very capable South

Atlantic port,” said S.C. State

Ports Authority President Jim

Newsome, recounting the Octo-

ber trip before speaking at an an-

nual growth forum hosted by the

Charleston Metro Chamber of

Commerce Developers Council.

Th e work in Panama will not

only widen the canal, it will also

open the fl oodgates to Far East

trade, SPA leaders hope.

In 2014, when the widening

is scheduled for completion, gi-

ant ships from Asia will be able to

utilize the expanded canal, bring-

ing their cargo to ports on the

East Coast, and more specifi cally

to ports that are deep enough to

accommodate the vessels.

Th e canal now can handle

ships with capacity for about

5,000 20-foot equivalent units.

Th e larger ships that are coming

later this decade, known as post-

Panamax, will hold more than

twice that number.

Th e Port of Charleston already

hosts multiple post-Panamax ves-

sels, which arrive each week via

various other ocean routes. Mean-

while, about 400 ships go through

the Panama Canal on their way

to or from Charleston each year.

Th at number is expected to in-

crease in the post-Panamax era.

Speaking to business leaders

about what they could expect

from the port in coming years,

Newsome said there is opportu-

nity for Charleston to siphon off

up to 3 million TEUs annually

that would previously have been

destined for West Coast ports.

With the increased production

of ever-larger containerships —

which are more cost-eff ective for

shipping lines — and their ability

to utilize the expanded Panama

Canal, the balance of power could

tilt toward East Coast ports.

Panama could open fl oodgates for Charleston By Daniel Brock, Staff Writer

Th e Panama Canal is undergoing a $5 billion expansion that will let the largest

ships through when it opens in 2014. (Photo/Panama Canal Authority)

http://us.gfac.com/

“Logistics is a cost game,”

Newsome said.

At minimum, post-Panamax

ships need 40 feet of draft to enter

a harbor. Charleston, which leads

the Southeast with a 45-foot-deep

shipping channel, can accom-

modate up to 48 feet, depending

on the tide. Port leaders say that’s

Charleston’s primary advantage

as the Panama Canal expansion is

completed.

As of mid-October, the port

had hosted 80 ships with 40 or

more feet of draft .

It’s paying off : July was the

busiest month volume-wise at

the port since October 2008, and

volume is above budget for the

fi rst part of the fi scal year. News-

ome said the port was trying to

get back its “natural share of the

market.”

Th e harbor’s width, which

allows for two-way traffi c; the

container terminal under con-

struction at the former North

Charleston Navy Base; and con-

tinued distribution center growth

also are keys for future success,

Newsome said.

In recent months, a furor has

arisen over a $400,000 federal

earmark that would fund part of

a study that would examine deep-

ening the harbor beyond 50 feet.

Business leaders at the Devel-

opers Council event were appre-

ciative of the chamber’s eff orts to

keep them up to date.

Daniel Hiers, a senior man-

ager at the accounting fi rm El-

liott Davis, said that his company

works with an array of businesses

associated with the port.

“Five years ago, you didn’t

hear as much about the port,” he

said. “Th ere’s a lot more empha-

sis on how important it is to the

economy.”

Later in the aft ernoon, News-

ome addressed the Charleston

County Legislative Delegation’s

SPA Ad Hoc Committee.

Th ere, he touched on the big-

ticket items that the port has dealt

with in the past year, including

the cruise industry; new con-

tainer terminal; and harboring

deepening.

“Quite frankly, there has been

some sensationalism,” he said,

referring to environmental con-

cerns that have been raised over

the cruise industry.

Newsome said that, although

competitor ports might need

more than $600 million to dredge

to Charleston’s current depth,

deepening Charleston Harbor

to 50 feet — or deeper — would

likely come at a price of about

$310 million.

“We’re the best value in this

region for harbor deepening,” he

said.

Th e meeting eventually turned

toward a discussion of rail access

to the new terminal before Senate

Transportation Committee Chair-

man Larry Grooms, R-Bonneau,

said that discussion was best left

for another time.

Grooms said his committee

was continuing to work on a re-

port about rail access that likely

would include such fi ndings as

the opinion that any rail plan “had

better not give one line advantage

over the other.” •

S.C. DELIVERS | 43

A ship passes through the Panama Canal. (Photo/Panama Canal Authority)

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In his fi rst State of the Port ad-

dress, in 2009, S.C. State Ports

Authority President and CEO

Jim Newsome said that the best

years of the port lay ahead of it,

rather than in the past.

It was bold rhetoric from the

new head of an agency that had

fallen off its once loft y perch in the

maritime world — the port tum-

bled from fourth to ninth nation-

ally in container traffi c between

2004 and 2009. And Newsome

admitted during this year’s ora-

tion on Nov. 16 that his assertion

wasn’t totally confi dence-based.

“Aft er barely two months into

the job, I have to be honest with

you that I sincerely hoped that I

was right,” he told the crowd of

nearly 500 people at the annual

event hosted by the Propeller

Club of Charleston on Nov. 16.

Having overseen a marked

turnaround during the past 12

months, Newsome told the audi-

ence — this time without reserva-

tion — the port’s future is bright.

Newsome said a new culture

has taken hold at the SPA, one in

which “a sense of urgency and de-

cisiveness are critical.”

“We have a clear message for

our customers and our stake-

holders — that being that we

are aggressive and will compete

for business everywhere in the

world,” Newsome said.

He checked off a list of ac-

complishments from the past

year that included the attraction

of several major new shipping

lines, the port’s position at 16%

ahead of its volume plan in fi scal

2011 and the ongoing construc-

tion of a new container terminal

at the former Navy base in North

Charleston.

Newsome didn’t shy away from

a point of concern that has arisen

in recent months: the proposed

deepening of Charleston Harbor.

Th e project would allow the port,

already the deepest in the South-

east with a 45-foot channel at low

tide, to accommodate giant post-

Panamax containerships without

tidal restrictions.

At its current depth, the port

in the fi rst nine months of the

year hosted more than 90 ships

with capacity of more than 8,000

20-foot equivalent units. Th at

would increase signifi cantly if the

shipping channel is deepened.

But progress on the years-long

dredging process has been slowed

by some federal lawmakers, led by

U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., who

want to do away with the earmark

system that would fund a crucial

study on the deepening.

Newsome was adamant about

the need for the money — and

State of the Port: Full steam ahead By Daniel Brock, Staff Writer

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from where it should come.

“Th is is, without question, the

best value in harbor deepening in

the South Atlantic and is the clear

responsibility of the federal gov-

ernment,” Newsome said.

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham,

R-S.C., who recently joint De-

Mint’s earmark moratorium

push, addressed the crowd ear-

lier in the evening by phone

from Washington, D.C. Graham

said he would ask President Ba-

rack Obama’s administration to

include funding for the project

in its next budget or try to amend

legislation to acquire the money.

Either way, Graham said, the

$400,000 needed for the study

wouldn’t be seen this year.

Gov.-elect Nikki Haley spoke

briefl y as well, at one point taking

a swipe at Georgia, South Caro-

lina’s chief maritime rival.

“You now will have a gover-

nor that does not like to lose,” she

said. “Georgia has had their way

with us for just way too long, and

I don’t have the patience to allow

it to happen anymore.”

As for Newsome, his message

was simple: full steam ahead.

“Charleston has been a port

since 1670 — it is the reason there

is a historic Charleston, by the way,”

he said. “And it will be a successful

port long aft er all of us are gone.”

Rising tide raises some wages

Some port employees could be

receiving a 3.5% pay raise, if they

meet performance-based criteria.

SPA Human Resources Com-

mittee Chairman David Posek

made the announcement during

the maritime agency’s November

board meeting.

Th e increases are available to

most of the authority’s nearly 450

employees and will be awarded

based on a computer matrix.

A further pair of variable com-

pensation plans could be paid out

to crane operators and the general

work force aft er the current fi scal

year ends June 30. Th ose pro-

grams will be “totally based on

meeting fi nancial and productiv-

ity measures,” Posek said.

“If we don’t meet our mini-

mum cash-fl ow requirements,

there is no raise,” he said.

Port offi cials credited in-

creased volume for the raises; port

volume is 16% over budget for fi s-

cal 2011. Container cargo was up

11% year over year in October

and 15% ahead of September.

Terminal developments Also at the meeting, the board

awarded Collins Engineers a

$160,533 contract to perform an

underwater inspection and draw

designs for a seismic upgrade of

the warehouse where it plans to

move its cruise operations.

Charleston-based Collins per-

formed similar work on the 1940s

naval building that now houses

Fleet Landing restaurant.

Bringing the new cruise build-

ing up to seismic code could cost

$6 million, offi cials said. Th e en-

tire project is slated at $25 mil-

lion, and the SPA is slated to send

out design requests for proposals

early next year. Th e new terminal

is scheduled to open in late 2012.

Meanwhile, Newsome said the

proposed move of BMW Manu-

facturing’s Union Pier operations

to the Columbus Street Terminal

could begin in January. Th e shift

will remove rail traffi c from the

Union Pier area.

Board Chairman Bill Stern

reported that the S.C. Budget

and Control Board approved the

sale of the SPA’s Port Royal to

Gramling Brothers Real Estate &

Development Inc., which is fi nal-

izing its land-use plan.

Transportation Secretary H.B.

“Buck” Limehouse, who played a

key role in recent weight increas-

es for containerized cargo on S.C.

roads, said he has received assur-

ances from Georgia offi cials that

they would not re-up their limits.

Both states now have

100,000-pound caps.

“We won’t have to go through

any more escalations with that,”

he said. •

http://www.moranenvironmental.com/

46 | S.C. DELIVERS

TRUCKING

All international shipping

containers hauled by truck

in South Carolina will be

allowed to weigh up to 100,000

pounds under new permit rules

unveiled in November by the S.C.

Department of Transportation.

Offi cials with the S.C. State

Ports Authority applauded the

move and said it will make the

Port of Charleston and other S.C.

industries, including agriculture

and recycling, more competitive.

SPA Chief Commercial Offi -

cer Paul McClintock said the new

permit structure could increase

export business at the port by

30% or 40%.

Previously, shipping containers

in South Carolina were allowed to

weigh only 90,000 pounds, while

limits in neighboring states were

higher than that. North Caro-

lina allows for 94,500 pounds,

while the Georgia restriction was

100,000 pounds, and included no

route regulations.

Th e announcement followed

a pilot program launched earlier

this year by the S.C. DOT that al-

lowed refrigerated containers up

to 100,000 pounds to be permit-

ted for truck transport.

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S.C. DELIVERS | 47

McClintock said the enhanced

permitting structure opens over-

seas markets to South Carolina

famers, who were shut out of

exporting because lower weights

required in the state weren’t cost

eff ective for shipping lines.

In eff ect, port offi cials said,

the new rule is a 100,000-pound

increase, as opposed to a 10,000-

bump.

“It wasn’t going to be anything

before. We weren’t carrying the

business,” McClintock said of the

exports. “We’re now going to par-

ticipate in all this cargo that we

weren’t before.”

And that’s what the increase

was meant to do, according to

Transportation Secretary Buck

Limehouse.

“Part of our job at S.C. DOT

is to support economic devel-

opment,” Limehouse said. “Our

highways, ports and rail systems

are the infrastructure for eco-

nomic development. We all work

together to make South Carolina

as competitive as we can in global

markets.”

Jim Newsome, the maritime

agency’s president and CEO, de-

scribed the permitting increase as

“an extremely important develop-

ment” for export cargo business,

which had historically faced dis-

advantages linked to weight re-

strictions.

“Secretary Limehouse and SC-

DOT have shown great leadership

and foresight by improving our

competitive capability in world

markets,” Newsome said.

Th e state’s recycling industry

also will likely see a boon, accord-

ing to McClintock. Waste paper is

country’s No. 1 export to Asia, he

said. It comes back to the U.S. in

the form of packaging.

“Th at export has to go out

heavy or it doesn’t go out at all.

So, instead of winding up in our

landfi lls, now there’s a market to

ship it off overseas,” McClintock

said.

He added the new rules likely

will make Charleston more at-

tractive for large companies such

as Lowe’s or Home Depot, who

import heavy commodities such

as power tools and tile when

they’re looking to build distribu-

tion centers.

McClintock said he has a

new card to play in dealing with

shipping lines by making use of

Charleston’s 48-foot depth.

“Th ey understand that this deep

water’s valuable. Th ey understand

that they can load heavier ships

and deeper ships in here and more

cargo,” McClintock said.

For instance, with a fi ve-foot

depth advantage over Savan-

nah on outgoing ships, vessels

can load about 500 extra 40-foot

containers.

“However, you’ve got to have

the cargo,” McClintock said. “I

could have 100 feet of water and

it doesn’t matter if I don’t have the

cargo. And that’s what this (the

permit increase) does: Th is helps

solve the cargo problem.” •

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