UBJ COMMUNICATE
By KEVIN LANDMESSER
Location, Location, Location
The site selection community is one of Greenville’s greatest assets It is common knowledge that Fluor Corporation is one of Greenville’s leading corporate citizens. The largest construction and engineering company in the Fortune 500 established its foothold here in 1977 with the acquisition of Greenville’s own Daniel Construction. Today, Fluor generously supports Greenville in many ways. Yet often overlooked is how Fluor’s expertise in global engineering and construction has helped launch several of the world’s finest site selection consultancies – Global Location Strategies, McCallum Sweeney Consulting and InSite Consulting. All are based in Greenville but serve companies around the world, making site selection expertise another of Fluor’s gifts that keeps on giving. Site selection is the practice of locating a new facility while evaluating that project’s detailed needs against the merits and risks of potential locations. Formalized during the 1950s as the U.S. government sought to site projects including Los Alamos National Laboratory and the Air Force Academy, the practice has exploded today, becoming far more refined and standard protocol in the private sector. Today, large companies often use a formal site selection process to identify locations, whether for a new corporate campus or a manufacturing operation. The complex process of site selection typically includes selecting and evaluating communities, real estate
site analysis and acquisition, and may include negotiating tax incentives or infrastructure improvements. When BMW chose the Upstate to develop its new manufacturing facility in 1992, the company reportedly spent three years evaluating over 250 sites before selecting South Carolina. “Our goal is to help clients make the best, most informed location decisions possible about where to place operations,” says Didi Caldwell, formerly with Fluor and now a principal with Global Location Strategies. “The location of a new facility can significantly impact the cost and success of that operation, and the decision criteria to consider are multifaceted. We leverage advanced information technology, research tools and our team’s long experience in helping mitigate risk and make the best decision.” With over 15 years of consulting in the site selection arena, Caldwell has led consulting projects on four continents in industries including automotive, pulp and paper, chemicals, mining, logistics, consumer products, energy and biotech. She and her team have cumulatively assisted over 100 organizations with site selection, incentive negotiations and capital finance assignments with total investment exceeding $35 billion. While they work around the world, GLS has a major impact in the Upstate. The firm recently worked with Greenville Technical College and Clemson University to site the Center
“The location of a new facility can significantly impact the cost and success of that operation, and the decision criteria to consider are multifaceted. We leverage advanced information technology, research tools and our team’s long experience in helping mitigate risk and make the best decision.” Didi Caldwell
“InSite’s economic development consulting helps groups and communities develop a dynamic and proactive step-by-step plan to become more competitive.” Tonya Crist
for Manufacturing Innovation, to be located at the Millennium Campus adjacent to Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR). Not long ago, GLS executives helped to site First Quality Tissue’s 1,200-employee, billion-dollar manufacturing facility in Anderson County. Besides site selection expertise, McCallum Sweeney Consulting is one of the leading site certification firms in the country. Founded in 2000 by Ed McCallum and Mark Sweeney – who both previously worked in Fluor’s internal site selection group – McCallum Sweeney has become the go-to firm in South Carolina for site certification, in which a piece of property is assessed to enhance marketability for development. Numerous studies including utility assessments, topographical surveys, environmental and wetlands assessments, ownership and deed verification, and geotechnical investigations are conducted, enhancing speed to development and reducing risk for a buyer. In 2010, McCallum Sweeney became the designated site certification partner for sites within South Carolina. Greer-based InSite Consulting combines site selection expertise with an economic development consulting practice that assists communities, regions, states and countries in their economic development marketing
May 16, 2014
efforts. The firm provides strategic planning, target marketing, community assessment, product development and assessment, and training services to economic development groups. “InSite’s economic development consulting helps groups and communities develop a dynamic and proactive step-by-step plan to become more competitive,” said InSite principal and former Fluor consultant Tonya Crist. “By doing so, they enjoy greater success, have a clearer vision, and develop and implement strategic initiatives to create jobs and investment in their community.” Each company’s methodologies and service offerings vary. Yet all three are great ambassadors for South Carolina and Greenville County, supporting area economic development officials with ideas, insights and connections. “It’s incredibly beneficial to have three of the leading site selection firms in the country here, as it increases our visibility exponentially with their clients,” notes Greenville Area Development Corporation project manager Tavia Gaddy. “And it’s ironic that each organization traces its roots to Fluor in some way. What a blessing for Greenville County.” Kevin Landmesser is interim president and CEO of the Greenville Area Development Corporation. He can be reached at 864-235-2008, or via email at klandmesser@greenvillecounty.org.
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