Charleston Regional Business Journal - April 4, 2022 by SC Biz News

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DRIVING THE ECONOMY New old luxury

Condos on Beaufain Street are designted to blend with the historic neighborhood. Page 5

South Carolina’s automotive sector was the lead economic contributor for 2021 with nearly half a billion dollars in capital investments announced. Page 18

Mix and match

Small suppliers get facetime with the likes of BMW, Volvo and more OEMs. Page 20

12th in a row

S.C. Ports reports another month of record volumes after high-growth era. Page 8

Into the wind

Company that recycles old sails into new products opens Charleston store. Page 11

INSIDE

Upfront................................. 2 SC Biz News Briefs................. 3 Small Business Spotlight........ 4 In Focus: Manufacturing and Automotive.................. 15 List: Law Firms................... 21 Bonus List: Business Communication Companies..........................25 At Work...............................27 Viewpoint............................ 31

Volvo Cars plans to begin production of a new all-electric XC90 at its Ridgeville plant this year. (Photo/Provided)

Widening debate runs through West Ashley By Teri Errico Griffis

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

ith Charleston population growing more than 18% since 2010, Glenn McConnell Parkway now has more volume than the roadway is able to handle. The situation only will get worse through 2040, according to an assessment by Charleston County. In the next two years, the county will be addressing the issue by widening the fourlane road to six lanes, adding seven bus stops,

improving turn lanes and landscaping, adding a new stoplight and building a shared pedestrian and bike path. The improvements will span 2.1 miles from Bees Ferry Road through Magwood Drive — the busy corner between Home Depot and Chick-fil-A. Charleston County officials said the construction will take two years, with an expected completion of March 2024. Herbert Nimz, project manager with Charleston County, and David Wertz, construction engineering and inspection project manager for Charleston County’s proj-

Special delivery

U.S. Postal Service orders first round of Spartanburg-made vehicles. Page 15

ect consultant, Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering, led a March 21 public hearing at the Bees Ferry West Ashley library to update the public about the Glenn McConnell Widening Project. Council members, including District 2 Councilman Kevin Shealy, District 6 Councilman Kylon Middleton and District 7 Councilman Brantley Moody, also attended the meeting. As a line of community members snaked through the library waiting to sign in and See GLENN, Page 10

Upfront

BRIEFS | FACTS | STATEWIDE NEWS | BEST ADVICE

Automotive dealers compete on several fronts

o to most any car dealer these days, and you’ll find strategic positioning of inventory. The reason is to sort of hide the fact that there’s not that much inventory. Before the pandemic and the microchip shortage made the prospect of buying a car nothing like a routine, big-ticket purchase, car dealers seemed packed with inventory. If they didn’t have what you wanted on the lot, they probably had it on another lot or could buy it from a friendly dealer in another market. There are exceptions, but today, automotive retailers have to deal with a vastly changed landscape. The lack of inventory makes an already difficult industry much harder. Car dealers are facing companies trying to break the dealership model by selling directly to buyers who quickly comparison shop without even leaving their living room, not to mention the upheavel of the used-car market with companies like Vroom and Carvana. However, in spite of all of that, the dealership model has been fairly strong in the Southeast and across the U.S. during the last decade overall, according to the latest data from the National Automobile Dealers Association and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Southeast new car sales 2020

Car and light truck sales over 5 years

South Carolina auto dealers saw the third-highest average sales per dealer in 2020, even though the overall sector was down year-over-year with fewer people driving.

Over the last 10 years across the U.S., sales of new light automobiles fell only three times year-over-year, including a dramatic drop in 2020 at the height of the pandemic.

State

Avg. per dealer

Total sales

Year

Sales

% change

Florida

$94.6 million

$83 billion

2020

14,463,935

-15.5%

Georgia

$60.7 million

$29.7 billion

2019

17,108,156

-0.6%

South Carolina

$55.5 million

$13.8 billion

2018

17,215,163

+0.5%

North Carolina

$50.5 million

$28.2 billion

2017

17,134,733

-1.9%

Tennessee

$54.7 million

$18.4 billion

2016

17,465,020

+0.5%

Louisiana

$49.5 million

$13.9 billion

2015

17,386,047

+5.8%

Virginia

$49.3 million

$22.3 billion

2014

16,437,000

+5.9%

Alabama

$48.3 million

$13.1 billion

2013

15,524,800

+7.5%

Kentucky

$41.3 million

$9.5 billion

2012

14,441,800

+13.4%

Arkansas

$38.7 million

$8.1 billion

2011

12,734,200

+10.2%

Mississippi

$38.8 million

$6.9 billion

ON THE

RECORD

Source: National Automobile Dealers Association, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

“If you think about that vision of 1992, if you think about where we are today, we are at the very, very beginning, the very precipice of unprecedented change in the automobile industry.” — S.C. Secretary of Commerce Harry Lightsey

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SC Biz News Briefs

MEET or

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any offer!

State Credit Union held a groundbreaking ceremony for its new 50,000-square-foot location at 800 Huger St. in downtown Columbia. (Rendering/Provided)

MIDLANDS

Columbia Regional Business Report

State Credit Union breaks ground on Columbia headquarters

tate Credit Union broke ground on its its 50,000-square-foot, three-story project at 800 Huger St. A trio of Columbia-headquartered firms are involved in the downtown Columbia Project. Hood Construction Co. Inc. is the contractor, while Boudreaux is the architect and LCK LLC will provide project management services. “It is our hope that our members and employees will be pleased with the expenditure and our new state-of-the-art facility,” Jim Kinard, president of State Credit Union, said in a news release. Cox & Dinkins of Columbia is the civil engineer, while BELKA Engineering of West Columbia is providing electrical engineering services. West Columbia’s Mabry Engineering Associates is the structural engineer and Columbia’s MECA Inc. the mechanical engineer. State Credit Union has branches on Broad River Road, Colonial Drive and St. Andrews Road, as well as in the Northeast and Lower Richland. The Huger Street location will consolidate and expand SCU’s headquarters between Greene and College streets upon expected completion next summer. CRBJ

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UPSTATE

GSA Business Report

Plastics recycler putting $4M into Pickens County

CI Plastics South, a thermoplastics processor and recycler, plans invest $4 million in a Pickens County site that eventually will support 21 new jobs. The company is making use of a plant in Liberty that has been closed for more than a decade. The building, known locally as the “rug plant,” was a long-time manufacturing facility for Mohawk. It was last used as a manufacturing center for Southern Vinyl Siding. ACI Plastics South is upfitting the facilities now and will begin operations later, according to Ray Farley, executive director of the Economic Development Alliance of Pickens County. The company has been in business for more than 35 years, known best for separation technologies for paint removal and instrument panels, as well as density, electrostatic and optical separation, according to a news release. “We are pleased to expand the size of our operation in South Carolina. The 138,000-square-foot building on 51 acres will allow us to significantly grow over the next decade,” ACI Plastics President Scott Melton said in the release. “The access to a solid workforce, the Port of Charleston and nearby customers made this investment a key part of ACI’s future.” Located at 225 Ruhamah Road in Liberty, ACI Plastics South’s Pickens County operations will include the recovery of post-industrial and pre-consumer scrap plastics from molders throughout the Southeast, the news release said. The company initially will provide size reduction and proprietary separation processes. South Carolina is home to more than 300 recycling companies. The industry has an annual economic impact of more than $13 billion on the state economy, according to the Commerce Department. CRBJ

VOLUME 25 NUMBER 4 ■ GSABUSINESS.COM Part of the

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Cultural districts

Districts recertified across S.C. for cultural significance. Page 4

Growing stronger R&D drives state’s most robust sector. Page 6

By Melinda Waldrop

A Devine sale

Office building on Devine Street sells for $1.5 million. Page 5

Wingman

Breeze Airways founder finds value in discount air. Page 9

Business hub

Developer plans corporate center at $3.5 billion site. Page 10

BUILDING THE PIPELINE Programs target skilled workforce

Broderick Smith (left), a student in the plumbing certificate program at Midlands Technical College’s Airport campus, works on a project with instructor Devan Jordan. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

MTC among SC schools creating opportunity By Christina Lee Knauss

INSIDE

Upfront ................................ 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 In Focus: Education and Workforce ................... 13 List: Colleges and Universities .......................................... 19 At Work .............................. 21 Viewpoint ...........................23

Contributing Writer

idland Technical College’s inaugural South Carolina Welding Skills Competition did more than give more than 40 students from across the state the chance to show off their skills and win valuable gear. The competition, held Feb. 25, also aimed to get students excited about careers in the fast-growing welding field, as well as the school’s certificate programs and two-year degree in the industry. Welders are in high demand in South

Carolina and nationwide, with demand projected to grow around 8% by 2030, but U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics project an estimated annual shortage of more than 49,000 workers. That pipeline problem is mirrored in skilled trades across the board. A Feb. 8 report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce estimated 11.3 million job openings around the country but just 6.3 million unemployed workers. Fields like durable goods manufacturing have more job openings than there are available workers with experience See WORKFORCE, Page 15

mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

new community policing app, developed through a partnership between Serve & Connect and Nephron Pharmaceuticals Corp., will help assess how interactions between law enforcement and communities affect public safety and impact public trust, organizers say. The app, kickstarted by a $10,000 Nephron investment, will be fine-tuned during the next six months by a workgroup made up of S.C. police representatives and community leaders. Its goal is to identify and promote best practices in law enforcement/community relations while providing transparency and measurable data. “It helps us figure out what we need to do and what’s working and what’s not,” Nephron owner and CEO Lou Kennedy told the Columbia Regional Business Report. “That’s important, and I can’t believe we didn’t already have something like this in place.” Community policing, defined by the U.S. Department of Justice as a philosophy that promotes the systemic use of partnerships and proactive, problem-solving techniques to address the immediate conditions that give rise to crime, lacks hard data to determine its effectiveness, said Kassy Alia Ray, founder and CEO of Serve & Connect, an S.C. nonprofit focused on bringing police and citizens together to address the root causes of crime and promote community safety. That’s where the app comes in. See NEPHRON, Page 6

Keeping Columbia competitive

Midlands attracts entrepreneurs but struggles to retain talent. Page 13

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Russian exports from SC are small piece of export pie

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App assesses community police effort

Only one other state exports more to their country, but Russians account for just 1.2% of Palmetto State exports.

By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews

outh Carolinians may be more than aware of damage the Russian invasion of Ukraine has wreaked at the gas pump. But while Russian exports barely register on

the economic radar for many states, South Carolina is the second largest exporter to the country by value. The Palmetto State’s Russian export industry is worth $351 million each year, according to 2021 U.S. Census data, and makes up 1.2% of all export value for the state — higher than anywhere else in the United States but still a small part of the state’s $30 billion export industry. A 162% or $17.9 million increase in state

exports to Russia last December, along with the trade of gas turbines and precious metal compounds, contributed to South Carolina’s year-over-year export value, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity. The country was the fifth largest importer of vehicles from BMW’s Plant Spartanburg in 2020, according to the company. Vehicles, aircraft parts and rubber tires

FEBRUARY 2022

See RUSSIA, Page 16

654 St. Andrews Blvd | Charleston, SC 29407 | 843.225.0406 www.jmusselmanconstruction.com

Mini ride share

Greenville to put micro cars on streets for ride-sharing initiative. Page 9

Diversified expands again

Greenville-based life science company invests in expansion. Page 7

Rebuild Upstate seeks new chief Nonprofit’s only CEO is stepping aside but not stepping away. Page 14

The U.S. Army made its first investment in Clemson’s VIPR-GS program in 2020. A ceiling of $100 million has been allocated for the autonomous vehicle program since. (Photo/Provided)

Clemson, Army move ahead on autonomous tank By Molly Hulsey

INSIDE

Leading Off .......................... 2 SC Biz News Briefs ................ 3 C-Suite ................................ 4 In Focus: Real Estate and Construction ...................... 13 LIST: HVAC contractors....... 18 At Work ............................. 20 Viewpoint ...........................23

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

ome of the greatest losses over the past few wars in the U.S. have been in the supply line convoy, Sen. Lindsey Graham told an audience of engineers, politicians and soldiers. He hopes a total of $40 million from the U.S. Army piped into Clemson University’s prototype development program for autonomous combat fleets may change that.

“This project here today is going to be transformative for the Army,” Graham told those gathered for the Feb. 28 announcement at the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research campus. “And it is one of the most important days in the history of Clemson University.” The U.S. government recently committed up to $100 million toward the project moving forward as the university’s Virtual Prototyping of Autonomy-enabled Grounds Systems (VIPR-GS) Research Center rolls out design-

to-build simulations and digital engineering technologies for the U.S. Army’s development of on- and off-road autonomous vehicles. The U.S. Army’s DEVCOM Ground Vehicle Systems Center first invested $18 million into Clemson’s program in 2020 and granted an additional $22 million Feb. 24. “We would not be here today without the visionary leadership and steadfast support of my friend, Senator Lindsey Graham, and

In Focus

See AUTONOMOUS, Page 10

RIDING A WAVE OF HIGH DEMAND Surge in watercraft sales challenges S.C. boating industry

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Small Business Spotlight LESLIE TURNER, MARY LOU WERTZ AND OLGA PAGE, MAISON REAL ESTATE

ABOUT OUR COMPANY:

We are a women-owned and operated boutique real estate brokerage whose professional agents bring unrivaled expertise and intimate knowledge of the Charleston region. We are proud to have successfully represented buyers and sellers in transactions worth hundreds of millions of dollars, including brokering many of Charleston’s largest residential sales.

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Our team understands the unique challenges and subtleties of the Charleston real estate market and leverages this insider knowledge to deliver the highest level of excellence and exceptional results for our clients. But beyond our expertise, Maison brings joie de vivre, powerful networks, exclusive listings, topnotch negotiation abilities and innovative marketing strategies designed to exceed our clients’ expectations. We love what we do, and as our results prove, we’re good at it.

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Newly constructed Beaufain Street condos starting at $2.5 million By Jenny Peterson

Contributing Writer

our luxury condominiums under construction at 122 Beaufain St. in downtown Charleston have hit the market. The units, located one block from Colonial Lake and Broad Street, vary between two and-three -bedroom residences and will include high-end finishes and fixtures, an elevator and rooftop terrace with the option for owners to add a plunge pool. The residences are listed between $2.5 million and $2.75 million with approximately 3,000 square feet each. Luxury real estate firm, Handsome Properties, is representing the listings. “This is a rare opportunity to own custom new construction within historic Harleston Village,” Handsome Properties said. “122 Beaufain offers the charm of Harleston Village living with many of Charleston’s most popular parks, restaurants and shopping nearby.” Charleston’s Board of Architectural Review meeting documents show that city staff approved the townhome development design in December. Constructed by The Building Agency SC Inc., the architectural design was envisioned to blend with the historic neighborhood’s aesthetic. Renderings show a

The four luxury condominiums, constructed by The Building Agency SC Inc., were designed to blend in with the historic neighborhood. (Rendering provided)

three-story structure — two stories of living space — with a brick façade, tall ceilings, windows with wooden shutters and large bay windows. The rooftop terrace will offer views of Charleston’s historic area. Because the condos are new construction, they include several features such as walk-in closets, garden bathtubs, a tankless water heater, kitchen island and a two-bay garage with room for three cars plus storage. Elevators will service the garage to bedroom levels of the house. Landscaped courtyards were designed by Sheila Wertimer. Construction will refur-

bish an existing wrought-iron fence surrounding the property. Unit A, located at the corner of Beaufain and Gadsden streets, has the largest square footage of the four units and has double piazzas along the Gadsden Street side of the building. It features two large master bedrooms and two and a-half baths. It’s listed at $2.75 million. Unit B and Unit C have similar floor plans and feature three bedrooms and two-and-a-half baths with the primary bedroom situated along Beaufain Street with large bay windows. Two additional bedrooms each have access to the rear

balcony. The units are listed at $2.5 million each. Unit D also a three-bedroom, twoand-a-half bath residence and is the end unit on the right side of the building. The primary bedroom faces Beaufain Street with large bay windows. The two additional bedrooms each have access to the rear balcony. It is listed for $2.6 million. The location of the luxury condominiums is one block from the Moultrie Playground Pickleball and Tennis Courts and walking distance to the Yvonne D. Evans River Walk walking path along the Ashley River, overlooking Charleston Harbor. CRBJ

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Tax season brings new rules, familiar advice for filers By Christina Lee Knauss

Contributing Writer

hen March rolls around, so does the height of tax season, and those who didn’t get their returns filed early start preparing – and stressing out – with only a little over a month before the filing deadline. This year’s tax season, like the two previous ones, also looks a little different because of the ongoing financial effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. For workers and employers alike, there are some new rules to know that will only be in effect for the 2021 tax season because of the pandemic, and there are also some key things to remember to avoid getting flagged for an audit. One of the most important things to remember this year? The Internal Revenue Service is hurting, still plagued by chronic staffing shortages causing serious backlogs in processing returns. In some cases, taxpayers are still waiting for stimulus payments and refunds from the 2020 filing season. And good luck trying to call with a question. The U.S. Treasury has said that over the past two years, up to 20% of its customer service employees have been unavailable because of COVID-19. How bad was it? During the first half of 2021, the IRS estimated there was one employee available for every 16,000 phone calls that came in. As a result, the IRS is begging taxpayers to do everything possible electronically, from filing returns to getting answers to tax questions at the IRS.gov site. (And no, you no longer will need to upload a selfie in order to access your online IRS account.) “File as early as you can, file electronically and make sure you link up your bank account so your refund can be

File photo

direct deposited,” said Bryan Cannon, CEO and chief portfolio strategist for Charlotte-based Cannon Advisors. “People that don’t do those three things are going to experience some delays.” For this filing season, IRS.gov has added several new features available 24 hours a day, including a special tax season alert page updated daily and a tool called “Understanding Your IRS Notice or Letter.” It also has special resources on the expanded tax benefits from the American Rescue Plan including: the expanded Child Tax Credit; increases in the Child and Dependent Care Credit and Earned Income Tax Credit; and the Recovery Rebate Credit, which allows eligible taxpayers to claim the full amount of any missed 2021 stimulus payments. “We want taxpayers to know that IRS.gov is a deep well of easily accessible material that is constantly updated,” said Stacy Engle, an IRS spokesperson. “Online tools and assistants can clarify an IRS letter you’ve received, track your refund and give you details on what tax benefits you may qualify for.” This tax season also brings with it some special pandemic-related changes to filing rules and some issues that taxpayers and employers need to know

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about, Cannon said. A quick look at some of them: Unemployment income: Because so many people lost their jobs when the pandemic first hit, taxpayers who had to file unemployment got a break for 2020. For that year only, up to $10,200 in unemployment income was tax-free for those who made up to $150,000 a year. For 2021? Sorry, all unemployment income is taxable again. Advanced Child Tax Credit Payments: The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 increased the amount of the tax credit a taxpayer could receive for each dependent child, to $3000 for each child ages 6 through 16 and $3,600 for each child under 6. The act also enabled the Advanced Child Tax Credit, which for the second half of 2021 disbursed monthly payments equal to half of the total child tax credit a taxpayer would be able to claim for 2021. Those advance payments are not taxable and don’t need to be reported as income, Cannon said. Employee Retention Tax Credit for Employers: This is a tax credit for employers that was enacted in 2020 as part of the CARES Act, designed to reward business owners for retaining employees during the pandemic.

“It was available to all employers regardless of size,” Cannon said. “It was there if you were ordered to shut down, like what happened to restaurants or gyms, or if you had a significant drop in income compared to the previous year.” In order to qualify for the credit in 2021, businesses had to be forced to partially or fully shut down operations because of local government restrictions related to the pandemic or had to experience an 80% reduction in receipts from the prior year. For 2021, the maximum amount businesses can claim is $7,000 per employee for the first three quarters of the year. Home office deductions: If you were forced to work at home by the pandemic, you might wonder if you can deduct expenses for setting up a home office. The answer? Not if you file a W2, meaning you receive wages or a salary from a company. After changes to the tax rules through the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, only contract employees or sole proprietors can claim home office expenses as a deduction. “If you’re producing W2 income and you deduct home office expenses, you’re going to get flagged,” Cannon said. “People took a lot of liberties with that deduction, and in some cases sorely abused it, so now there’s no deduction if you file a W2.” The best-case scenario for those who file W2s is if your employer provided the equipment to allow you to set up a home office or agreed to reimburse you for any equipment you had to buy to work from home. And finally, the most important thing to remember for tax season: The deadline for filing for most Americans is April 18. For those who live and work abroad, it’s June 15. If you need more time, you can get an automatic extension until Oct. 17. CRBJ

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Floral business owner moving to larger location in Park Circle By Colin McCandless

Contributing Writer

oni Reale, CEO, lead designer and creative director of Roadside Blooms floral shop in North Charleston, has firmly planted her roots in the Park Circle community and is now expanding with a bigger, more permanent shop. Ten years ago, Reale launched her initial entrepreneurial endeavor, an eco-friendly event planning and floral design business. She and her sister-inlaw hatched the idea for a mobile flower shop, while simultaneously her husband found a 1971 British ice cream truck that just happened to be in Charleston. The combination led to the establishment of Roadside Blooms. “Park Circle was missing a local flower shop,” Reale said. The business has bloomed ever since. In 2017, Reale opened a brick-and-mortar location on Chateau Avenue before quickly outgrowing that space and moving two years later the business’ current 4610 Spruill Ave. Now Roadside Blooms has outgrown this space as well. Reale broke ground March 1 on her new shop in Park Circle’s Mixson mixeduse development. The space will be dou-

Roadside Blooms’ current location is beside The Station on Spruill Avenue. (Photo/Provided)

ble the Spruill Avenue shop’s size. Even more meaningful for Reale, she will own rather than lease this latest iteration of Roadside Blooms. Reale and her investment partner on the building, Brady Quirk-Garvan, have collaborated with Lindsay Nevin of Flyway, a Charleston company specializing in sustainable design, and local architect April Magill, an advocate of sustainable architecture. Together they’re developing a new concept where Roadside Blooms will occupy the first floor of a three-story building. Residential apartments will be located above the business. Reale aims to move operations to the

Mixson location by January when her Spruill lease expires. “I just love this community and I saw an opportunity to grow this business in the community I love,” Reale said. “I feel this is a really homegrown endeavor.” She has cultivated Roadside Blooms from a solo operation to 12 employees, and the latest expansion will likely lead to more hires. “It makes me proud to support their families with good pay and meaningful work. As we continue to grow, we’ll need more staff,” Reale said. Weddings comprise the majority of Roadside Blooms’ business, with Reale’s

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professional design team averaging 80 events in a typical year. The past couple years have been anything but typical though. During the height of the pandemic, weddings were rescheduled, forcing Reale to focus more on the retail aspect, which she had always viewed as a side business. “I’ve fallen in love with what we’re doing on the retail side,” she said, adding that Roadside Blooms caters to customers looking for something unique and funky. “Our aesthetic is different. We have a natural, bohemian look to our style,” she said. “We pick all the flowers and designs. No two designs are the same.” Reale, who previously taught geology at the College of Charleston for 11 years, has always been interested in environmental issues. “Sustainability is a very big pillar of my business,” she maintained. “We source all American and locally-grown plants. We don’t import plants.” Giving back is important to Reale. Every Thursday Roadside Blooms donates flowers to Amor Healing Kitchen, a nonprofit providing plant-based meals to people facing health challenges. Through her donations, individuals receive a beautiful bouquet to accompany their food. “We compost whatever we can’t donate,” said Reale. “It’s very communityfocused.” CRBJ

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www.charlestonbusiness.com

April 4-17, 2022

Ports sees 12th consecutive month of record volume By Teri Errico Griffis

tgriffis@scbzinews.com

he S.C. Ports Authority has moved more than 1.87 million 20-foot equivalent container units in fiscal year 2022, leading to a record 12th consecutive month of record volumes. For February, SCPA handled 230,420 TEUs at Wando Welch Terminal, North Charleston Terminal and Hugh K. Leatherman Terminal, up 26% year-over-year. “With record throughput volumes, we continue to experience a high number of import containers awaiting delivery on our terminals,” said Jim Newsome, S.C. Ports CEO. “We remain focused on creative solutions and executing our vital infrastructure projects, including the completion of the Charleston Harbor Deepening Project this fall, initiating construction on the rail-served Navy Base Intermodal Facility and inner-harbor barge project, and advancing towards a quick completion of the Inland Port Greer expansion project.” SCPA saw a nearly 46% increase in loaded import TEUs in February, with 119,582 handled. The port attributes this to continued retail imports driving sustained cargo growth. Loaded exports, however, were down nearly 19% yearover-year at 54,755 handled.

Inland Port Greer runs an overnight express shuttle between the Port of Charleston and Greer six days a week. (Photo/S.C. Ports Authority)

“As SC Ports experiences an increasing imbalance, loaded import volumes were more than double loaded export volumes in February,” the port said in the release. For pier containers, which accounts for containers of any size, the Port reported a 26% year-over-year increase in with 127,492 handled in February. Throughout the fiscal year, the port has moved

1.04 million pier containers, a nearly 16% increase from this time last year. At Columbus Street Terminal, the total vehicles handled in February were 15,895. Inland Port Greer and Inland Port Dillon reported handling 10,802 and 2,265 rail moves, respectively. “Together, with our teammates, broader maritime community and motor car-

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riers, we continue to work through this unprecedented time of supply chain challenges,” Newsome said in a statement. “The strength of our port continues to be in our highly skilled workforce and how we adapt collectively to keep freight moving for our customers.” CRBJ

Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.

April 4-17, 2022

www.charlestonbusiness.com 9

Feds order Goose Creek restaurant to pay back wages By Andy Owens

aowens@scbiznews.com

Goose Creek restaurant allowed underaged workers to put in more hours than allowed by law and neglected to appropriately pay 21 workers, the U.S. Department of Labor said in a statement. Los Arcos Inc., which is located on St. James Avenue, has paid $108,924 in back pay, liquidated damages and miscalculated overtime, the agency’s Wage and Hour Division said. Investigators said that the restaurant “failed to pay the workers their legally earned wages and violated minimum wage, overtime and recordkeeping” under the Fair Labor Standards Act. The agency said the company did not pay some employees for actual hours worked and failed to properly calculate overtime. Additionally, the agency’s investigators said that Los Arcos allowed two workers who were 15 years old to work more than 18 hours per week during the school year, which is a violation of a law that limits the amount of work available for a schoolaged worker. The S.C. Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation said that, with few exceptions, no one under 14 is allowed to work in South Carolina. Theatrical workers and performers are allowed to be minors, and workers age 12-13 are allowed to work on farms with parental consent. If a business is 100% owned by a parent, then workers of any age are allowed, LLR said. Minors also are allowed to deliver newspapers in South Carolina. During the school year, minors age 14-15 can work up to three hours a day with a weekly maximum of 18 hours. In 2016, the Labor Department cited Los Arcos for labor and wage violations after investigations at the company’s restaurants in Goose Creek and Mount Pleasant. The location in Mount Pleasant is now closed. In that case, the company paid more than $459,000 to workers after investigators said the company did not properly pay some workers, failed to pay overtime and required the wait staff to work only for tips, among other allegations. The Labor Department reported that in fiscal year 2021, more than $34.7 million was recovered for around 29,000 food and beverage workers statewide. The agency conducted 4,200 investigations during that time. “As food service industry employers struggle to find people to fill the jobs needed to remain competitive, they must take into account that retaining and

recruiting workers is more difficult when employers fail to respect workers’ rights and pay them their full wages,” Wage and Hour Division District Director Jamie Benefiel said in a statement from the agency’s Columbia office. The Department of Labor also has several resources to help workers understand their rights and to help employers stay in compliance of the law, the agency said. The agency has a toolkit for businesses at dol.gov, and more information about laws enforced by the division can

be obtained through the Department of Labor’s helpline at 866-487-9243. The agency noted that nearly 1 million food and beverage workers have left their jobs in the last three months across the U.S., which is putting increased demands on the industry, workforce and businesses engaged in food service. Many food and beverage workers also left the early months of the pandemic as restaurants closed and cut hours. Additionally, demand for food service employees is expected to rise by 20% by 2030 across the U.S., the Labor Depart-

ment said. The Department of labor said that workers are encouraged to call the Wage and Hour Division to confidentially ask questions about labor laws, compliance and protection for workers rights regardless of immigration status. The agency has service representatives who can speak to callers in more than 200 languages. CRBJ

Reach Andy Owens at 843-849-3142. Custom Publishing Division Editor Steve McDaniel contributed to this report.

www.charlestonbusiness.com

April 4-17, 2022

GLENN, from Page 1

fill nearly every seat before the meeting began, several attendees voiced their frustrations. The biggest concern seemed to be over noise that a six-lane road might cause. Before Nimz was halfway through his presentation, the group was already firing off questions and expressing concerns about noise, flooding mitigation in communities, lack of sidewalks for the proposed bus paths and how the new Spinx gas station at the corner of Wildcat Boulevard and Glenn McConnell Parkway will impact traffic into West Ashley High School. Officials first identified that Glenn McConnell Parkway was problematic in the 2016 half-cent sales tax referendum. Two years later, the first public meeting was held, asking for input on future plans. In January 2020, officials held a second meeting at West Ashley High School and two months later published a final report. The Glenn McConnell Widening Project received project permits in 2021, and a construction contract was awarded earlier this year. Chris Ebel, a home appraiser and West Ashley resident, worries officials are not widening the parkway to alleviate traffic, but to add even more cars to the road. Since the 2020 meeting, Lennar’s Grand Bees has developed three phases of new residential homes on Bees Ferry Road, a Harris Teeter has opened down the street, and a new apartment complex is almost ready to open. “Everybody’s doing the same thing. Let’s just get more cars, build 300 more apartments, and now we’re going to need eight lanes,” she said. “By then, this highway’s going to be in everybody’s living room.” Nimz said many of the thousands of new homes built in the last two years should have been accounted for in the design process when the projects were under development. “We have to do our best to assume growth ... especially because we live in an area that people want to live in and that number’s pretty high,” Nimz said. He added that while he doesn’t live in West Ashley and can’t speak for those who do, “there’s a limit to what you can do as far as preventing future development. That’s not what this (meeting) is about.” A concern repeated throughout the meeting was the sound disruption caused by the current four-lane road and what that would evolve into with the addition of two more lanes and seven bus stops. Several attendees, including Ebel, said that they can hear cars zipping down Glen McConnell Parkways as late as 11 p.m. In addition to suggesting a lower enforced speed limit — the limit will be reduced during construction, then returned to 55 mph after completion — residents at the meeting requested a sound barrier.

The traffic flow breaks down on Glenn McConnell Parkway at the start and end of each work day, which is why Charleston County plans to widen the road to six lanes.

A sound study was performed in 2019, Nimz said, but results did not determine the necessity for a wall. According to the Glenn McConnell Parkway Highway Traffic Noise Technical Memorandum published in April 2020, only one of the four communities studied met the requirements for a sound barrier; however, aerial power lines permanently prevent a structure from being erected along that portion of the corridor. Other community members requested another study to be done, one individual asking if her homeowners’ associations could perform another study out of pocket. Nimz and Wertz said industry standards were followed to collect the data. To accommodate expansion, construction will push outward to create a third westbound lane, while eastbound, construction will push inside toward the grass median. Throughout the 2.1-mile plan, four bus stops with pullover lanes will be added westbound, with three added eastbound. Each bus stop will include a shelter, bench, trash receptacle and bicycle rack. On the east side of the parkway, a multiuse path between 8 and 12 feet wide will run from Bees Ferry Road to Glenn McConnell Parkway. At its closest point, the path will be a few feet off the main road. At its furthest, the path will have a 10-foot buffer between traffic with Jersey barriers in some areas. In others, the path will be separated from the main road by existing ditches. The westbound side will have short walkways from the bus stops back into the nearest community, but officials were stumped when asked if further sidewalks would be added westbound to connect stops to other communities or if crosswalks would be added to allow bus travelers to cross Glenn McConnell Parkway and connect to transportation. Nimz said planners did their best to make connections to existing facilities. For the bus stop at Goodwill Way, he said,

Charleston Councilman Kevin Shealy addresses community members at a March 21 public hearing on the Glenn McConnell Parkway widening project. (Photos/Teri Errico Griffis)

“You may have to travel that backroad and then walk up to Mary Ader.” Down the road at the corner of Glenn McConnell Parkway and William E. Murray Boulevard, a four-building, 341-unit apartment complex has been proposed adjacent to West Ashley High School. A new Spinx gas station is already under construction at the corner of Wildcat Boulevard and the parkway. Nimz said the Spinx will have right-in, right-out entrances and exits, meaning traffic leaving on the Wildcat Boulevard side would only have the option to turn right, pull a U-turn or circle around the school, and then come back out to Glenn McConnell Parkway. West Ashley resident Craig Peterkin worried how that will affect traffic, especially during school drop-off and pickup, and during rush hour. “When those plans were originally made, was consideration given for the new 300-unit complex and the gas station going in on that corner?” Peterkin said. Nimz said the Spinx plans would have been accounted for as he doesn’t believe the S.C. Department of Transportation would bring in a development that would negatively affect the designs and “throw off the whole project.” “In coordination with the DOT, they would have gotten with us in plan-development,” Nimz said. “This project has

been in design since 2018, so we’ve had ongoing conversations with the DOT. Anything that comes after that, they would have to work with DOT to get approval for access.” Eight intersections will be improved in the next two years, including the intersection of Bees Ferry Road and Glenn McConnell Parkway. Plans there call for signal modifications, an additional left turn lane, sidewalk connection and improvements, new shared-use path, enhanced landscaping. Bees Ferry Road will not incur any enhancements beyond the intersection once traffic flows onto the road. Nimz also clarified there will not be improvements to the right turn lane onto Glenn McConnell Parkway. The parkway will be completely paved by the end of the project. Phase 1 of 3 on the construction timeline includes shoulder work from Bees Ferry Road to Magwood Drive, prep work for the installation of an additional westbound travel lane and minor drainage modifications. Any work requiring lane closures will be done at night during off-peak hours. “We plan to give quarterly updates about status of the project to be shared with HOA presidents in the area and dispersed to residents, accordingly,” he said. CRBJ

Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.

April 4-17, 2022

www.charlestonbusiness.com 11

Charleston business recycles more than 7,000 sails into new products By Teri Errico Griffis

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

eclaimed sails are finding new purpose in a new shop that opened in downtown Charles-

ton. Sea Bags opened its second South Carolina retail store March 18 at 84 N. Market St., showcasing designer bags, totes and accessories made from recycled sail cloth. To-date, the company has reclaimed more than 7,000 tons of sail cloth since 2017. In 2021 alone, Sea Bags collected 7,000 sails that were no

Sea Bags opened its second South Carolina retail store in downtown Charleston on March 18. The company reclaims old and unused sails and turns them into bags and accessories. (Photo/Provided)

longer in use, the company said in a news release. “With its cobblestone streets, horsedrawn carriages and pastel buildings, Charleston is truly one of the most charming port cities in the country” Sea Bags CEO Don Oakes said in a statement. “We are so looking forward to becoming a part of the Charleston community and welcoming its locals and visitors into our newest storefront, to both learn more about our products and brand as well as provide the opportunity to expand our sail trade program.” Through the Sea Bags Sail Trade Pro-

gram, people can donate old or unused sails. For every usable sail, Sea Bags offers customers a Sea Bags product in trade. The company will pick up sails or donations can be dropped off at any of the brand’s retail stores. The Charleston location is Sea Bags’ 39th U.S. store. There is also a shop in North Myrtle Beach. The company, which opened in 2016 in Maine, plans to further expand its South Carolina footprint later this year with a Hilton Head location. CRBJ

Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.

Charleston specialty pharma business acquired for $27.5M By Alexandria Ng

ang@scbiznews.com

harleston’s Evening Post Group has sold EPI Health LLC to a public specialty dermatology company based out of Durham,N.C., for a closing purchase price of $27.5 million. Novan Inc., the acquiring company, completed the transaction with $11 million cash and $16.5 million as a 24-month seller note.

Additional performance earnouts and specific milestones achieved by EPI Health’s products could increase the total consideration to about $50 million. Blank Rome LLP acted as legal adviser to Evening Post Group in this transaction. “We are proud of what EPI Health has accomplished under EPG (Evening Post Group) ownership,” said Terry Hurley, president and CEO of Evening Post Group, in a statement. “We see this acquisition as a great strategic fit for Novan

and look forward to seeing the combined company take the next step in dermatology treatment.” EPI Health was first acquired in 2017 by Evening Post Group, a family-owned operating group that began as a single newspaper in 1896 and evolved into an operator of businesses across various sectors through more than 20 acquisitions. Today, the company also operates The Post and Courier, a Pulitzer Prize winning daily newspaper in Charleston,

along with more than a dozen other daily and weekly publications. EPI is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on dermatology with various FDA-approved medicines through several product acquisitions. Since then, it has grown to operate a sales force of about 40 employees servicing dermatologists nationwide. It now joins Novan, which develops and markets therapeutic products for skin diseases. CRBJ

Join us in honoring the individuals and organizations that make diversity, equity and inclusion a strategic priority in policy and practice across the Lowcountry.

Tickets: bit.ly/crbj22ldlatix #crbjDEIAwards

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www.charlestonbusiness.com

April 4-17, 2022

It’s your story. Let us help you share it. Shine a spotlight on what you do. • Are you celebrating an anniversary or company milestone? • Has your business created a new product or division? • Are you offering new services? • Do you simply need to get the word out about your organization? Work collaboratively with a Business Journal marketing writer and photographer to craft the story of your business. We’ll share it to our audience of highly engaged business professionals across print + digital + social media platforms. Put the power of our audience to work for you.

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PUBLICATION DATE: June 27, 2022 | ADVERTISING DEADLINE: May 13, 2022 For advertising information, contact Robert Reilly at (843) 849-3107 or rreilly@scbiznews.com

In Focus

MANUFACTURING AND AUTOMOTIVE LISTS: LAW FIRMS, PAGE 21 | BUSINESS COMMUNICATION COMPANIES, PAGE 25

Drive train The Charleston region used to only be an export point for thousands of South Carolina-made BMW vehicles, but today’s the region is part of the state’s growing automotive manufacturing sector.

By the numbers

94,500 Tens of thousands of workers are employed in production occupations related to automotive manufacturing across S.C.

39,950 Assemblers provide the highest number of manufacturing jobs in the sector in South Carolina.

Dozens of automotive original equipment manufacturers and component makers operation in the Charleston region as suppliers to the sector.

Engineering auto wages

Federal wage data show the top wage earners in the automotive sector in the Charleston metro area are involved in engineering. Position Average wages* Electronics engineer $51.82 Electrical engineer $47.79 Mechanical engineer $44.46 Industrial engineer $42.55 Engineering tech $39.64 *Hourly

Assembling cars

Most automotive jobs in South Carolina are for assemblers and fabricators, including employment totals for the following regions in the state. On March 24, the U.S. Postal Service placed its first $2.98 billion order for 50,000 next-generation postal vehicles to be made in Spartanburg. (Photo/Provided)

SC politicians stand behind Oshkosh contract By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

shkosh Defense’s contract to build the U.S. Postal Service’s replacement truck fleet continues to meet opposition, but the company stands by its decision to produce the Next Generation Delivery Vehicle in South Carolina. Earlier this month, Democrats in the U.S. House of Representatives requested an investigation into the Postal Service’s

plans for the Oshkosh contract and its compliance with National Environmental Policy Act reporting practices. An initial $482 million contract to begin replacing the 230,000-vehicle fleet with a mix of gas and electric-powered vehicles was awarded to Oshkosh Corp. in February 2021. But two months later, President Joe Biden signed an executive order to make the federal government carbon neutral by 2050 and all federal fleets electric by 2035. The letter cited concerns from the

Environmental Protection Agency, the White House Council for Environmental Quality and other environmental stakeholders, warranting an investigation from the Postal Service Office of Inspector General. “USPS issued the NGDV contract and reportedly committed more than $480 million to begin engineering and factory construction before the agency began the environmental review for its procurement See OSHKOSH, Page 17

Metro area Greenville-Anderson Spartanburg Charleston-N. Charleston Columbia Florence Sumter Myrtle Beach Hilton Head-Bluffton

Jobs 12,050 5,390 5,080 3,580 1,950 1,270 560 60

Source: Charleston Regional Development Alliance, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

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April 4-17, 2022

Greenville, Clemson among first in US to launch ride-sharing network By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

ormer County Councilman Fred Payne may have retired from Greenville County’s Public Works and Infrastructure Committee, but he hasn’t put the brakes on his advocacy for affordable transit solutions. As board chairman of nonprofit Carolinas Alliance 4 Innovation, Payne expects Greenville to be on the cusp of the Upstate’s latest micro-mobility development: a lowspeed electric vehicle fleet deployed for hourly rental this summer. Before COVID-19 hit the Upstate, Payne and his CA4I team received a mobility grant from the Federal Transit Administration for their Carolina Rides + program, an effort with Senior Solutions to connect employees, disabled or older adults with an agency or employer-sponsor ride-sharing network. When plants closed their doors and public transit use waned in 2020, the initiative began to evolve into something new. “So, we got the FTA grant, and need revised budget approval” Payne told GSA Business Report. “It’s still going to be spent for ‘mobility for all’” — the nonprofit’s motto. The alliance became a nexus between

InnovaEV’s ZEV charging stations are powered by wind and solar power. (Rendering/Provided)

the Upstate and Innova EV, a Chicago-based micro mobility company that plans to put “The Dash” — an electric and solar-fueled vehicle available for shortterm rent — on the streets of Miami, San Francisco and Greenville in 2022. Clemson University, the University of Illinois-Chicago, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and the University of Idaho are the first four schools to pilot the system, according to the company. San Diego and Coronado, Calif., Laramie, Wyo., Chicago and Charleston are next in line for The Dash, as well as eight other campuses in Arizona, Colorado, Washington, Utah, Nevada and California.

The Dash resembles a Smart Car more than it does a golf cart, but it tops off at 35 miles per hour in some models, 25 mph in others. Similar to the Byrd and Lime scooter model, the cars can be activated via a smartphone app. As the Innova EV’s cloud collects data, the app then populates with nearby stores and restaurants, paving the way for the installation of autonomous software in the future. Video cameras and sensors are integrated into school security platforms on college campuses, the Dash’s first test track. “The Innova UEV team is excited to introduce this innovative sustainability

program to universities across the country as a way to reduce CO2 output, as well as decrease congestion,” Innova CEO and founder Roman Kuropas said in a 2015 statement during The Dash’s pilot period at several universities across the country. “Visionary schools that make this level of commitment to the environment are sure to add to their sustainability prestige as leaders in higher education.” The company markets the vehicle as a “first mile and last mile supplement to mass transit” in urban environments. According to Payne, the city of Greenville approved five DashEV parking and Zero Emission Vehicle charging sites for the company’s initial launch: the Poinsett, Richardson, Riverplace and Commons Garages downtown, as well as the West End Park and Ride station on 106 Augusta St. The Spinx Co. also expressed interest in installing a DashEV parking and ZEV charging sites at the store on Washington Street and Laurens Road, Payne said. “Innova EV is focusing heavy attention to installing ZEV charging hubs and initiating DashEV Carshare services to serve people within one to three miles of Greenville City Hall to include service to Unity Park, Nicholtown, etc.,” Payne said CRBJ

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OSHKOSH, from Page 15

decision,” according to a statement from the White House Council for Environmental Quality. Signatory Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., chair of the Committee on Oversight and Reform, prompted the Postal Service instead to purchase all-electric vehicles for the fleet from Oshkosh, as proposed in a bid from competitor Workhorse. Workhorse earlier filed a claim to federal claim to stop the Oshkosh contract but dropped the challenge three months later. Maloney also pressed Oshkosh Corp. in a separate letter for more information on its capacity to produce electric vehicles as well as the company’s decision to locate production in a non-union state. Oshkosh Defense produces tactical vehicles in Wisconsin but the company has stated only the postal vehicles will be made in Spartanburg. “We are aware Oshkosh has a long history of using union labor to build complex vehicles for the Department of Defense at its union facilities in Wisconsin,” according to Maloney’s letter to the manufacturer. “However, we also understand that Oshkosh is building a new facility to manufacture vehicles under the NGDV contract in a different location inaccessible to these workers.” Maloney requested all documents informing Oshkosh’s move to Spartanburg and how union labor will be used — or not used — in the production of the vehicle. House Democrats Gerald Connolly of Virginia, chairman on the subcommittee on government operations; Stephen Lynch of Massachusetts, chairman on the subcommittee on national security; Brenda Lawrence of Michigan; and Jared Huffman of California also signed the March 14 letter to the Postal Service. South Carolina Republicans Sens. Tim Scott and Lindsey Graham, as well as House members Ralph Norman and William Timmons responded with another letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis De Joy. “We write today to commend you for not giving in to the political drama that has recently unfolded over Oshkosh Defense’s contract with the United States Postal Service and the company’s decision to manufacture in Spartanburg,” the letter stated. On March 24, the U.S. Postal Service placed its first $2.98 billion order for 50,000 NGDVs. A minimum of 10,019 or 20% of the NGDVs will be battery electric, the company said. According to Oshkosh, the contract allows for a higher percentage of battery-powered vehicles. “It is designed to be the modern, safe, dependable vehicle the carriers have been waiting for,” John Bryant, executive vice president of Oshkosh Corp. and president of Oshkosh Defense, said in the announcement. “Facility preparations

IN FOCUS: MANUFACTURING AND AUTOMOTIVE

in South Carolina are well underway, and hiring of team members has already begun.” At the 2022 S.C. Automotive Summit on March 3 in Greenville, Don Bent, COO of Oshkosh, reiterated that the state’s strong auto manufacturing base and pro-business policies made the move to Spartanburg an easy choice. “We needed an existing facility that was at least more than 825,000 square feet, so we scoured the whole country for that,” he said. “And then from there, there were options. So then we took a look at other factors and the things that impressed us the most about Spartanburg was that deep automotive heritage and what we believe is a strong work ethic — people take great pride in their work.” In early March, the company had cleared the building and begun to install equipment on site. He expects the facility to begin producing at full volume by late summer 2023. The company’s $155 million investment is slated to create 1,000 jobs, including engineering, HR, purchasing, assembly and material handling positions. The new Oshkosh facility will have the capacity to produce any volume of either vehicle — gas or electric — on the same line as requested by the Postal Service. “Oshkosh has a history of producing dissimilar vehicles on lines, dissimilar being — for example — we put military vehicles, front discharge cement mixers and airport snow removal equipment on the same line,” Bent said. “The battery electric and the internal combustion are designed in such a way that most of the components are similar.” While the gas-powered vehicles are only 14% more fuel efficient than the 40-year-old model now in use by postal carriers, the company COO said that the new models must be larger to include features not included in the previous vehicles — namely air conditioning. Also included in the truck’s new tool kit: a 360-view camera, automatic braking system, wide doors to give postal carriers an easier reach up or down to mailboxes and a tall ceiling for greater capacity. The expansive windshield and low-sloping hood — giving the truck an aesthetic some pundits claim came straight from a Pixar film studio production — stem from a need for greater visibility. “Just under two years ago, just a few miles away in Georgia, a 2-year-old child was killed because they didn’t have that low-sloping hood,” Bent told the crowd. “So that’s the kind of focus that we put into this purpose-built vehicle, and my hat’s off to the Postal Service to the requirements that they gave us to try to make sure that we’re sure that we’re taking care of the safety of every postal carrier, but also serving and protecting the people in our communities.”

www.charlestonbusiness.com 17

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ONE-DAY COMPETITIVENESS REVIEW Start elevating your company and workforce with our free one-day Competitiveness Review: Visit SCMEP.org/help-my-business Call 864.288.5687 Email info@SCMEP.org

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IN FOCUS: MANUFACTURING AND AUTOMOTIVE

April 4-17, 2022

Auto sector changed SC’s economic landscape 30 years ago By Teri Errico Griffis tgriffis@scbiznews.com

hen Harry Lightsey took the stage at the S.C. Automotive Summit in early March, the South Carolina secretary of commerce understood the room. Before being named the top economic developer for South Carolina, Lightsey worked for years in the automotive sector, directing General Motors Corp.’s federal affairs operations in Washington. He also served as the leader for the company’s emerging technologies division, which included OnStar, a satellite-powered network that connects GM vehicles across the globe to services. “We are truly an auto state,” Lightsey said. The state’s auto sector represents $27 billion in investment since the first BMW rolled off the assembly line in Spartanburg County in 1994. Now, more than 72,000 South Carolinians are employed in connection with the automotive industry. “Today in the South and Southeast, we are far and away probably the leading sector of this region of the United States in terms of automobile production,” Lightsey said. The S.C. Department of Commerce’s 2021 International Trade Report, released in February, reported that the state has 36.6% of the country’s market share of exported tires and 19.4% of its market share of exported passenger vehicles. While the state’s total exports dropped 2% from 2020 to 2021 to $30.3 billion, the state still led the nation in exports of tires and completed passenger motor vehicles, a statistic Lightsey said he was very proud of. In the Upstate, BMW produces 1,500 vehicles a day and has invested more than $11.9 billion in its South Carolina operations. At Volvo Cars’ Ridgeville plant, Plant Manager David Stenström said the company is working toward a production goal of 150,000 cars a year. In Ladson, Mercedes-Benz Vans’ operations assembles Sprinter Vans for the U.S. and Canadian market and reassembles Mercedes-Benz Metris vans. The company has invested more than $500 million in the Ladson Sprinter plant and assembled

Volvo Cars currently builds the S60 sedan at the company’s Ridgeville manufacturing facility. In June, Volvo announced it would be expanding its capabilities to be able to produce an all-electric version of the XC90, pictured above, later this year. (Photo/Provided)

more than 260,000 Sprinter and Metris vans since opening in 2018. “I don’t think any of us could really forecast where we would be 30 years later,” Lightsey said. “Because if you think about it at the time, the vision and the boldness of that move by the leaders of our state and the leaders of BMW to make that decision to put the BMW plant in Greer, S.C. That opened up, not just for South Carolina but for the entire Southeast, the entire movement of the global auto industry into the Southern states.” In 2021, South Carolina announced more than $15 billion worth of capital investment. The auto sector was the lead contributor with the top three investments. Oshkosh Defense announced a $155 million investment in June to produce the next-generation U.S. Postal delivery trucks. The company expects to add

1,000 jobs. Volvo said the company would invest $118 million into Ridgeville operations to create the electric Polestar 3. At the Automotive Summit, BMW revealed that another expansion was underway in Spartanburg County. The company is adding a $200 million automotive stamping operation that will add 200 jobs. Lightsey said the amount of investment being made in South Carolina is unprecedented when considering how the conversion to electric vehicles closely relates to the automobile and energy sectors. As the world pivots toward electric vehicles, Lightsey said South Carolina has an opportunity to become the future leader in sector. He also hopes manufacturers and suppliers will look to the Department of Commerce as a partner. “We want you to understand that whatever resources we have in the Department

of Commerce, whatever we can develop in terms of providing you the type of resources you need to be successful in the future, we definitely want to do that,” Lightsey said. After all, once a business decides to relocate or establish operations in South Carolina, to hire workers and invest capital, they tend to stay, thrive and grow, Lightsey said. He pointed to BMW’s selection of Spartanburg County in the early 1990s as an example. “If you think about that vision of 1992, if you think about where we are today, we are at the very, very beginning, the very precipice of unprecedented change in the automobile industry,” Lightsey said. “The conversion that we are just now starting to see from the internal combustion engine to the battery electric vehicle is something that hasn’t happened in over 100 years.” CRBJ

SC Manufacturers Alliance recognizes 85 facilities for outstanding safety By Teri Errico Griffis

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

he South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance is recognizing workplaces that have prioritized safety procedures. Yesterday, the organization honored 85 industrial facilities throughout the state for outstanding workplace safety accomplishment in 2021, SCMA said

in a news release. Key factors include a low rate of incidents resulting in lost workdays, job transfers or restrictions. Awards went to the faciltiies that had an incident rate below the statewide average for their NAICS code. “A safe workplace starts with a dedicated team who is committed to excellence and prioritizes the well-being of their fellow colleagues every day,” said Sara Hazzard, President & CEO of the

South Carolina Manufacturers Alliance. “The facilities earning this prestigious award have demonstrated a culture where safety procedures and principles are a constant and consistent priority. We are proud to recognize so many South Carolina companies for their continued dedication and achievements in workplace safety.” Winners include AFL Telecommunications in Spartanburg County, Andron

Stainless Corp. in Richland County, Bosch Rexroth Corp. in Greenville County, Cummins Turbo Technology in Charleston County, Charleston’s Rigging and Carolina’s Rigging in Charleston and Richland counties, Mercedes-Benz Vans, LLC in Charleston County, Milliken & Co. plants in various upstate counties, Nucor Steel in Berkeley County and more. You can read the full list here. CRBJ

April 4-17, 2022

IN FOCUS: MANUFACTURING AND AUTOMOTIVE

www.charlestonbusiness.com 19

BMW invests $200 million in new Upstate press shop By Molly Hulsey

mhulsey@scbiznews.com

MW Plant Spartanburg will expand with a 219,000-square-foot press shop slated for a summer 2024 opening. The more than $200 million investment, announced at the S.C. Automotive Summit in Greenville March 3, is expected to create 200 jobs in the Upstate. The foundation for the project has already been laid, according to Robert Engelhorn, CEO of BMW Manufacturing. The press shop — located on the BMW Plant Spartanburg campus — will take raw coils of steel, cut them into blanks and stamp sheet metal parts for future BMW models, Engelhorn said during the announcement. These components include hang-on parts such as the vehicles’ four doors, fenders, exterior body sides and lift gate. “The press shop is a big cornerstone for us,” Engelhorn said. The press line includes five press or stamping stations equipped with servo technology, which increases the output capacity of the presses. The addition will be defined by new developments in automation technology, which Engelhorn said was the key to scal-

The press shop’s five stamping stations will cut raw coils of steel into blanks and stamp them into metal parts such as doors and fenders. (Photo/Provided)

ing hurdles faced by the industry over the past two years. Closed-loop production systems and artificial intelligence are helping the company streamline its logistics processes, while 3D digital models assist in product planning. “We are facing challenging times. The impact of the pandemic and supply chain bottlenecks will continue to challenge us,” the CEO said. “And all of us here today are most likely experiencing a significant transformation in how we do business now. We at BMW are rethinking our processes and introducing new technologies and relations to sustain our role as premium manufacturers.”

One of the additional challenges Engelhorn addressed was the ongoing shortage of computer chips. “For semiconductors, we can say that at least for last year, we did not lose a single car,” he said. “For sure we will see further shortages throughout this year and for sure will be affected by the world-wide crisis situation. We have to work closely with our suppliers to resolve these topics and see how we can improve the overall situation 18, in the next months and years to come.” Since BMW opened Plant Spartanburg in 1992, the facility’s footprint has grown by 600%, according to Englehorn. “Thirty years ago, the BMW group

announced that it would build its first production factory outside of Germany,” he said during the announcement. “BMW chose South Carolina as a location because of the deep water port of Charleston, an advanced technical college system and for sure, the strong work ethic here in the state. And since then, we’ve never looked back.” The BMW Group has invested nearly $12 billion in its South Carolina operations since its arrival. BMW Manufacturing is the largest BMW Group plant in the world, producing more than 1,500 vehicles each day. The plant exports nearly 60% of its vehicles to about 120 global markets, according to the company. “BMW arrived in 1992. We had zero automotive workers in the state except for filling stations and places like that,” Gov. Henry McMaster said during his speech at the conference. “Now we’ve got 72,000 in auto plants and related companies in South Carolina thanks to their growth.” The governor added that auto companies have been “growing like weeds” and the sector is “red hot” in the state. “That’s what’s happening in South Carolina and that’s why businesses all over the world are coming to South Carolina,” McMaster said. “Because of the kind of success BMW has demonstrated can be found here.” CRBJ

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April 4-17, 2022

Suppliers get face-time with BMW, Honda SC, Volvo and more By Teri Errico Griffis

tgriffis@scbiznews.com

he opportunity to have a face-toface sit down with a company, and have the business welcome the conversation, is what drove small-time suppliers to the 2022 S.C. Automotive Summit’s B2B Supplier Matchmaker program last month. Like speed dating between suppliers and original equipment manufacturers, the matchmaking program is a yearly program put on at the Automotive Summit, hosted by the S.C. Manufacturers Alliance. This year’s event was March 1-3 at Greenville’s Hyatt Regency. “For small- to medium-sized to large suppliers, having that opportunity to get in front of a company like a BMW or Mercedes or Volvo cars is an opportunity that’s hard to get in the door,” said Sara Hazzard, president and CEO of SCMA. Organized by the S.C. Automotive Council and the S.C. Department of Commerce, this year’s 90-minute Matchmaker session welcomed OEMS and Tier 1 companies like BMW, Oshkosh, JTEKT, Honda SC, Volvo and more, ready to hear pitches from small, medium and large S.C. businesses looking to support them. When suppliers pre-registered for the event, they were able to make requests

James Hamilton, senior account executive with Advanced Technology Services Inc., meets with BMW at the 2022 Automotive Summit in Greenville. (Photo/Teri Errico Griffis)

who they’d like to meet, said Tammie Greene, business outreach program manager for the S.C. Department of Commerce. Commerce then took those suggestions back to the OEMS to see if there’s a match and set up 15-minute appointments. “It’s helpful for our OEMs in the state to know that they’ve got suppliers right here in their backyard that makes products that they need,” Hazzard said. At a minimum, interested suppliers meet with two OEMS or Tier 1 companies. They can request up to six. Companies like Elkem Silicones USA Corp., ACI Plastics and Metco Inc. Pre-

cision Matching Solutions, which all have South Carolina operations, attended to pitch a variety of resources and services. James Hamilton, senior account executive with Advanced Technology Services Inc. in Greenville, headed to the Matchmaker event to meet with BMW. ATS offers maintenance services, helping companies locate where they have gaps in the facility or in the workforce and determining where they should be. The company supports multiple different industries from automotive, consumer package goods, building materials, aerospace. “If something’s not organized efficiently, then it’s just slowing you down,” Ham-

ilton said. “We have solutions that can do full turnkey because some of our customers want to focus on growing their business and they want to just turn over their maintenance to a third party that they can trust, that will help improve plant performance and reliability and drive down costs.” Thomas Morris, operations manager with Metco Inc. in Anderson shared his company’s precision machining solutions with Schaeffler, Honda SC, Oshkosh Defense and Proterra. “For us, this lines up because we have some other customers that are in transportation like they are,” Morris said. Getting not just an introduction but face-to-face quality time with OEMs and Tier 1 companies represents opportunity for Morris. “Anytime we can link up with folks that are local, we’ve found a lot of success,” he said. Morris’ customer base spans up through Pennsylvania, but for most of the family business of 20, their connections are more regional. A local matchmaking program is a “win-win,” Morris said. “Keeping business in South Carolina is always good and good for our employees, our families.” CRBJ

Reach Teri Errico Griffis at 843-849-3144.

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Law Firms

Ranked by No. of Attorneys in the Charleston Area Company

Phone / Website / Email

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Attorneys / Employees

Motley Rice LLC 28 Bridgeside Blvd. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-216-9000 www.motleyrice.com -

Joseph F. Rice 2003

104 279

Antitrust Law; Appellate Law; Bankruptcy Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Consumer Law; Environmental Law; Government Relations Law; International Law; Litigation Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Personal Injury Law; Securities Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law

Clement Rivers LLP 25 Calhoun St., Suite 400 Charleston, SC 29401

843-577-4000 www.ycrlaw.com krussell@ycrlaw.com

Wilbur E. Johnson 1965

43 104

Administrative Law; Appellate Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Consumer Law; Corporate Law; Economic Development Law; Employee Benefits Law; Environmental Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Family Law; Government Relations Law; Health Care Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law; Tax Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Womble Bond Dickinson 5 Exchange St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-722-3400 www.womblebonddickinson.com cordes.ford@wbd-us.com

Cordes Ford, Elizabeth O. Temple 1876

39 63

Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP 151 Meeting St., Suite 600 Charleston, SC 29401

843-853-5200 www.nelsonmullins.com info@nelsonmullins.com

John C. McElwaine 1897

38 68

K&L Gates LLP 134 Meeting St., Suite 500 Charleston, SC 29401

843-579-5600 www.klgates.com -

Walker Coleman 2011

32 56

Antitrust Law; Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Economic Development Law; Employee Benefits Law; Environmental Law; Health Care Law; Immigration Law; Intellectual Property Law; International Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law; Tax Law; Telecom/Technology Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law

Copeland, Stair, Valz & Lovell LLP 40 Calhoun St., Suite 400 Charleston, SC 29401

843-727-0307 www.csvl.law rpetit@csvl.law

Paul E. Sperry 2002

28 55

Administrative Law; Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Environmental Law; Health Care Law; Intellectual Property Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Personal Injury Law

Finkel Law Firm LLC 4000 Faber Place Drive, Suite 450 North Charleston, SC 29405

843-577-5460 www.finkellaw.com -

Gerald M. Finkel, Robertson H Wendt, Sean A O'Connor 1970

28 28

Administrative Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Consumer Law; Corporate Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law; Social Security Law; Torts Law

Haynsworth Sinkler Boyd P.A. 134 Meeting St., 3rd Floor Charleston, SC 29401

843-722-3366 www.hsblawfirm.com info@hsblawfirm.com

Boyd B. "Nick" Nicholson, James H. "Jeddie" Suddeth III 1887

26 50

Nexsen Pruet LLC 205 King St., Suite 400 Charleston, SC 29401

843-577-9440 www.nexsenpruet.com temerson@nexsenpruet.com

Mary D. Shahid, George Bullwinkel 1945

25 42

Cobb Dill & Hammett LLC 222 W. Coleman Blvd. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-327-5777 www.cdhlawfirm.com hcobb@cdhlawfirm.com

Hal Cobb 2013

24 49

Moore & Van Allen PLLC 78 Wentworth St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-579-7000 www.mvalaw.com info@mvalaw.com

Trudy H. Robertson, H. Manning Unger 1997

24 18

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein 200 Meeting St., Suite 301 Charleston, SC 29401

843-727-2650 www.parkerpoe.com parkerpoe@parkerpoe.com

J. Ashley Cooper 1884

23 36

Clawson and Staubes LLC 126 Seven Farms Drive, Suite 200 Charleston, SC 29492

843-577-2026 www.clawsonandstaubes.com info@clawsonandstaubes.com

Matthew J. Story 1975

21 54

Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Hood Law Firm LLC 172 Meeting St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-577-4435 www.hoodlaw.com info@hoodlaw.com

Robert H. Hood, Jr. 1985

21 45

Civil Law; Construction Law; Labor and Employment Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law

Rogers, Patrick, Westbrook & Brickman 1037 Chuck Dawley Blvd. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-727-6500 www.rpwb.com marketing@rpwb.com

Jerry H. Evans 2002

21 60

Antitrust Law; Civil Law; Construction Law; Consumer Law; Environmental Law; Labor and Employment Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Securities Law; Torts Law

McAngus Goudelock & Courie LLC 735 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Suite 200 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-576-2900 www.mgclaw.com -

James R. Courie 1995

20 55

Appellate Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Employee Benefits Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Real Estate Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Barnwell Whaley Patterson & Helms LLC 211 King St., Suite 300 Charleston, SC 29401

843-577-7700 www.barnwell-whaley.com bwph@barnwell-whaley.com

K. Michael Barfield 1938

19 38

Administrative Law; Antitrust Law; Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Economic Development Law; Employee Benefits Law; Environmental Law; Government Relations Law; Health Care Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law; Telecom/ Technology Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Weeks & Irvine LLC 8086 Rivers Ave., Suite B North Charleston, SC 29406

843-553-9800 www.weekslawfirm.net rirvine@weekslawfirm.net

Robert L. Irvine, Mark W. Weeks, Joseph W. Kessinger 2011

18 118

Estate Planning/Probate Law; Law Firm; Real Estate Law

David Aylor Law Offices 24 Broad St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-310-4900 www.davidaylor.com -

James Johnson, David Aylor 2007

16 16

Bankruptcy Law; Civil Law; Criminal Law; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Evans, Carter, Kunes & Bennett 115 Church St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-577-2300 www.eckb.com -

Andrew W. Chandler, F. Patricia Scarborough 1979

16 16

Estate Planning/Probate Law; Tax Law

Willson Jones Carter & Baxley P.A. 4922 O'Hear Ave., Suite 301 North Charleston, SC 29405

864-272-2667 www.wjcblaw.com kmsmith@wjlaw.com

Johnnie W. Baxley 2003

16 35

Litigation Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Thurmond Kirchner & Timbes P.A. 15 Middle Atlantic Wharf Charleston, SC 29401

843-937-8000 www.tktlawyers.com lindsey@tktlawyers.com

Paul R. Thurmond, Jesse A. Kirchner, Michael A. Timbes 2005

14 27

Appellate Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Criminal Law; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law

Practice Areas

Administrative Law; Antitrust Law; Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Economic Development Law; Employee Benefits Law; Environmental Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Government Relations Law; Health Care Law; Immigration Law; Intellectual Property Law; International Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Public Finance Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law; Tax Law; Telecom/Technology Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law Administrative Law; Antitrust Law; Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Consumer Law; Corporate Law; Criminal Law; Economic Development Law; Employee Benefits Law; Environmental Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Family Law; Government Relations Law; Health Care Law; Immigration Law; Intellectual Property Law; International Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Personal Injury Law; Public Finance Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law; Social Security Law; Tax Law; Telecom/Technology Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Administrative Law; Antitrust Law; Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Consumer Law; Corporate Law; Economic Development Law; Employee Benefits Law; Environmental Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Family Law; Government Relations Law; Health Care Law; Immigration Law; Intellectual Property Law; International Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Personal Injury Law; Public Finance Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law; Tax Law; Telecom/Technology Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law Administrative Law; Antitrust Law; Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Economic Development Law; Employee Benefits Law; Environmental Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Government Relations Law; Health Care Law; Immigration Law; Intellectual Property Law; International Law; Labor and Employment Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Public Finance Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law; Tax Law; Telecom/ Technology Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law Banking/Finance Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Criminal Law; Economic Development Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Family Law; Labor and Employment Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law; Torts Law Administrative Law; Antitrust Law; Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Economic Development Law; Employee Benefits Law; Environmental Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Government Relations Law; Health Care Law; Immigration Law; Intellectual Property Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Public Finance Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law; Tax Law; Telecom/Technology Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law Administrative Law; Antitrust Law; Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Economic Development Law; Employee Benefits Law; Environmental Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Government Relations Law; Health Care Law; Immigration Law; Intellectual Property Law; International Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Public Finance Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law; Tax Law; Telecom/Technology Law; Torts Law

Because of space constraints, sometimes only the top-ranked companies are published in the print edition. Although every effort is made to ensure accuracy, errors sometimes occur. Email additions or corrections to research@scbiznews.com.

Researched by Business Journal staff

www.charlestonbusiness.com

April 4-17, 2022

Law Firms

Ranked by No. of Attorneys in the Charleston Area Attorneys / Employees

Company

Phone / Website / Email

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Buist Byars & Taylor LLC 652 Coleman Blvd., Suite 200 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-856-4488 www.buistbyars.com info@buistbyars.com

Custis M. Byars 1998

13 38

Business Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Litigation Law; Real Estate Law

Joye Law Firm 5861 Rivers Ave. North Charleston, SC 29406

843-888-8888 www.joyelawfirm.com gethelp@joyelawfirm.com

Ken W. Harrell 1968

13 45

Law Firm; Personal Injury Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Luzuriaga Mims LLP 1156 King St. Charleston, SC 29403

843-410-4713 www.lmlawllp.com eluzuriaga@lmlawllp.com

Kevin W. Mims, Elizabeth B. Luzuriaga 2011

12 22

Civil Law; Construction Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Rosen Hagood 151 Meeting St., Suite 400 Charleston, SC 29401

843-266-2257 www.rosenhagood.com tbolchoz@rosenhagood.com

Brew Hagood, Andrew Gowdown 1947

12 23

Administrative Law; Appellate Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Family Law; Government Relations Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law; Torts Law

Steinberg Law Firm 61 Broad St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-720-2800 www.steinberglawfirm.com info@steinberglawfirm.com

Steven Goldberg, Michael Jordan, David T. Pearlman 1927

12 45

Construction Law; Law Firm; Personal Injury Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Gallivan, White & Boyd P.A. 40 Calhoun St., Suite 315 Charleston, SC 29401

843-735-7600 www.gwblawfirm.com khill@gwblawfirm.com

Grayson Smith 1948

11 20

Antitrust Law; Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Burr & Forman LLP 100 Calhoun St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-723-7891 www.burr.com -

Jennifer Blumenthal 1918

10 23

Administrative Law; Antitrust Law; Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Consumer Law; Corporate Law; Criminal Law; Economic Development Law; Employee Benefits Law; Environmental Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Government Relations Law; Health Care Law; Immigration Law; Intellectual Property Law; International Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Public Finance Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law; Social Security Law; Tax Law; Telecom/Technology Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick LLP 176 Croghan Spur Road, Suite 400 Charleston, SC 29407

704-945-2184 www.shumaker.com kjasaitis@shumaker.com

Laura J. Evans 2018

10 19

Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Employee Benefits Law; Environmental Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Health Care Law; Immigration Law; Intellectual Property Law; International Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Public Finance Law; Real Estate Law; Tax Law

Wall Templeton & Haldrup P.A. 145 King St., Suite 300 Charleston, SC 29401

843-329-9500 www.walltempleton.com -

Neil S. Haldrup 2011

10 16

Appellate Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Health Care Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law

Harvey & Vallini LLC 497 Bramson Court Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-388-8883 www.hvlawsc.com -

Daniel J. Vallini 2001

9 25

Banking/Finance Law; Business Law; Corporate Law; Law Firm; Real Estate Law

Rogers Townsend LLC 205 King St., Suite 201 Charleston, SC 29401

843-737-8668 www.rogerstownsend.com info@rtt-law.com

R. Bryan Barnes, Stuart M. Lee, J. Geoffrey Osborn 1984

8 10

Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Economic Development Law; Environmental Law; Health Care Law; Intellectual Property Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Real Estate Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law

Turner Padget Graham & Laney P.A. 40 Calhoun St., Suite 200 Charleston , SC 29401

843-576-2800 www.turnerpadget.com -

David S. Cobb 2007

8 23

Administrative Law; Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Criminal Law; Economic Development Law; Environmental Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Intellectual Property Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law; Tax Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Butler & College LLC 501 Belle Hall Parkway, Suite 101 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-284-8676 www.bandclawfirm.com -

Ryan E. Butler, Andrew W. College 2012

7 27

Estate Planning/Probate Law; Law Firm; Real Estate Law

Butler Snow LLP 25 Calhoun St., Suite 250 Charleston, SC 29401

843-277-3700 www.butlersnow.com info@butlersnow.com

Christopher R. Maddux 2019

7 10

Appellate Law; Banking/Finance Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law

Buxton & Collie LLC 940 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Suite 100 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-606-2397 www.buxtonandcollie.com cbuxton@buxtonandcollie.com

Nathan D. Johnson, Brian M. Collie, James T.H. Buxton 2010

7 15

Business Law; Commercial Law; Corporate Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; International Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Real Estate Law; Securities Law; Tax Law

Anderson Reynolds & Stephens LLC 37 1/2 Broad St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-723-0185 www.arslawsc.com inquire@arslawsc.com

Jonathan J. Anderson, Lisa A. Reynolds, Shanna M. Stephens 1990

5 11

Appellate Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law

Chandler & Dudgeon LLC 180 East Bay Charleston, SC 29401

843-577-5410 www.chandlerdudgeon.com mandi@chandlerdudgeon.com

Mandi Dudgeon, J.W. Nelson Chandler 2010

5 10

Appellate Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Government Relations Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law

Ford Wallace Thomson LLC 715 King St. Charleston, SC 29403

843-277-2011 www.fordwallace.com ian.ford@fordwallace.com

Ian S. Ford 2009

5 6

Appellate Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Health Care Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law

Kernodle Coleman 914 Folly Road, Suite G Charleston, SC 29412

843-795-7800 www.kernodlelaw.com tkernodle@kernodlelaw.com

Trent M. Kernodle 1999

5 9

Administrative Law; Appellate Law; Civil Law; Construction Law; Consumer Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law

O'Shea Law Firm LLC 1120 Folly Road Charleston, SC 29412

843-805-4943 www.oshealaw.com brooklyn@oshealaw.com

Brooklyn O'Shea, Ian O'Shea 2013

5 7

Law Firm; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart 211 King St., Suite 200 Charleston, SC 29401

843-853-1300 www.ogletree.com clientservices@ogletree.com

Michael Eckard 1977

5 7

Employee Benefits Law; Immigration Law; International Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law

Practice Areas

Researched by Business Journal staff

April 4-17, 2022

www.charlestonbusiness.com 23

Law Firms

Ranked by No. of Attorneys in the Charleston Area Company

Phone / Website / Email

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Attorneys / Employees

PMC Law Firm 504 W. 5th North St. Summerville, SC 29483

843-871-9500 www.pmclawfirm.com inquiry@pmclawfirm.com

Tiffany N. Provence 2008

5 9

Civil Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Litigation Law

Walker Allen Trial Attorneys 503 Wando Park Blvd., Suite 200 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

854-529-0595 www.walkerallenlaw.com jeff@walkerallenlaw.com

Jeffrey T. Ammons 1985

5 9

Appellate Law; Civil Law; Health Care Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Wigger Law Firm Inc. 8086 Rivers Ave., Suite A North Charleston, SC 29406

843-553-9800 www.wiggerlawfirm.com shoffman@wiggerlawfirm.com

Emily Tong, Jarrel L. Wigger 2005

5 18

Civil Law; Corporate Law; Employee Benefits Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Labor and Employment Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Personal Injury Law; Social Security Law; Torts Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Gibbs & Holmes 171 Church St., Suite 110 Charleston, SC 29401

843-722-0033 www.gibbs-holmes.com aholmes@gibbs-holmes.com

Allan R. Holmes 1983

4 6

Civil Law; Labor and Employment Law

Green Law Firm 6435 Fain St., Building B North Charleston, SC 29406

843-747-2455 www.billgreen.law marketing@billgreen.law

William A. "Bill" Green 1994

4 21

Law Firm; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Henderson & Henderson LLC 6 Charlotte St. Charleston, SC 29403

843-212-3188 www.hhlawsc.com henderson@hhlawsc.com

Wesley E. Henderson, John I. Henderson 2014

4 8

Business Law; Civil Law; Corporate Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Intellectual Property Law; Labor and Employment Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law

Joseph C. Good III PA 409 Coleman Blvd. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-412-1401 www.sc-dui.com joe@joegoodlaw.com

Joe Good 2007

4 4

Civil Law; Criminal Law; Personal Injury Law

McCullough Khan LLC 2036 eWall St. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-937-0400 www.mklawsc.com jamie@mklawsc.com

Jamie A. Khan, Clayton B. McCullough 2011

4 7

Appellate Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law

Smyth Whitley LLC 126 Seven Farms Drive, Suite 260 Charleston, SC 29492

843-606-5635 www.smythwhitley.com firm@smythwhitley.com

Todd W. Smyth, Joshua S. Whitley 2012

4 6

Appellate Law; Health Care Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law

Thrive IP 5401 Netherby Lane, Suite 1201 North Charleston, SC 29420

843-580-9057 www.thrive-ip.com information@thrive-ip.com

Jeremy M. Stipkala, Ben Klosowski, Peter Brewer 2005

4 7

Intellectual Property Law

Austen & Gowder LLC 1629 Meeting St., Suite A Charleston, SC 29405

843-727-0060 www.austengowder.com lauren@austengowder.com

Jon L. Austen, William Andrew Gowder Jr. 2016

3 4

Administrative Law; Appellate Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Environmental Law; Government Relations Law; Intellectual Property Law; Litigation Law; Real Estate Law

Bybee & Tibbals LLC 735 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Suite 104 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-881-1623 www.bybeetibbals.com -

Jeffrey S. Tibbals Sr., Richard D. Bybee 2017

3 5

Law Firm; Litigation Law

Clekis Law Firm P.A. 2850 Ashley Phosphate Road North Charleston, SC 29418

843-720-3737 www.clekis.com nick@clekis.com

Nicholas J. Clekis 1988

3 8

Criminal Law; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Cooper & Bilbrey P.C. 1476 Ben Sawyer Blvd., Suite 11 Mount Pleasant, SC 29403

843-883-9099 www.jhcooper.com info@jhcooper.com

Albert Bilbrey, John Townsend Townsend Cooper 1984

3 4

Business Law; Civil Law; Construction Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Personal Injury Law

Donaldson Law Firm LLC 317 Wingo Way, Suite 305 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-881-8400 www.donaldsonlawfirm.net rjdonaldson@donaldsonlawfirm.net

Rob Donaldson 2009

3 8

Law Firm; Real Estate Law

Knight & Whittington LLC 207 E. Third North St. Summerville, SC 29483

843-821-9700 www.knightwhittington.com info@knightwhittington.com

Kelly Knight, David W. Whittington 2002

3 14

Criminal Law; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Lofton & Lofton P.C. 225 Seven Farms Drive, Suite 109 Charleston, SC 29492

843-722-6319 www.loftonandlofton.com lofton@loftonandlofton.com

Lionel S. Lofton 1983

3 6

Criminal Law; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law

Pope Flynn 170 Meeting St., Suite 510 Charleston, SC 29401

803-354-4906 www.popeflynn.com bmusser@popeflynn.com

Joe Lucas 2008

3 4

Construction Law; Public Finance Law

Rosen Law Firm LLC 18 Broad St., Suite 201 Charleston, SC 29401

843-377-1700 www.rosen-lawfirm.com receptionist@rosen-lawfirm.com

Susan C. Rosen 2004

3 8

Appellate Law; Civil Law; Family Law; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law

Steadman Law Firm P.A. 6296 Rivers Ave., Suite 102 North Charleston, SC 29406

843-529-1100 www.steadmanlawfirm.com rsteadman@steadmanlawfirm.com

Richard A. Steadman 1992

3 6

Bankruptcy Law; Consumer Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Real Estate Law

Wilkes Atkinson Joyner LLC 200 Meeting St., Suite 205 Charleston, SC 29401

843-737-6229 www.wajlawfirm.com -

Michael B. T. Wilkes 2007

3 3

Administrative Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Construction Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law

Practice Areas

Researched by Business Journal staff

www.charlestonbusiness.com

April 4-17, 2022

Law Firms

Ranked by No. of Attorneys in the Charleston Area Company

Phone / Website / Email

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Attorneys / Employees

Anderson & Schuster Attorneys at Law LLC 1032 Chuck Dawley Blvd., Suite 201 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-388-3661 www.anderson-schuster.com info@anderson-schuster.com

Taylor Schuster, Austin J. Anderson 2012

2 4

Estate Planning/Probate Law; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law

Bloodgood & Sanders LLC 242 Mathis Ferry Road, Suite 201 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-972-0313 www.bloodgoodsanders.com nbloodgood@bloodgoodsanders.com

Nancy Bloodgood, Lucy Sanders 2016

2 2

Civil Law; Labor and Employment Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law

Freeman Wine LLC 300 W. Coleman Blvd., Suite 100 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-849-1900 www.freemanwine.com dana@freemanwine.com

Dana R. Wine, Wendi M. Freeman 2013

2 4

Bankruptcy Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Family Law

Halversen & Halversen LLC 751 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Suite 200 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-284-5790 www.halversenlaw.com brent@haversenlaw.com

Brent Halversen 2008

2 2

Banking/Finance Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Construction Law; Government Relations Law; Law Firm; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law; Torts Law

O'Neill & Fair LLC 1847 Ashley River Road, Suite 200 Charleston, SC 29407

854-999-1614 www.mojustice.com -

1980

2 4

Civil Law; Criminal Law; Law Firm; Personal Injury Law

Riley Pope & Laney LLC 288 Meeting St., Suite 200 Charleston, SC 29401

843-885-8820 www.rplfirm.com info@rplfirm.com

Conner B. Tharp, William R. Stroud 2001

2 5

Business Law; Commercial Law; Law Firm; Real Estate Law

Sahn Law Firm 225 Seven Farms Drive, Suite 105 Charleston, SC 29492

843-856-2222 www.sahnlaw.com -

Michael C. Sahn, Douglas A. Henley 2011

2 3

Criminal Law; Personal Injury Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Seth W. Whitaker Ltd. Co. 409 King St., Suite 200 Charleston, SC 29403

843-202-4472 www.swwlc.com info@swwlc.com

Seth W. Whitaker 2016

2 3

Business Law; Corporate Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Mergers/Acquisitions Law; Tax Law

Smith Debnam Narron Drake Saintsing & Myers LLP 171 Church St., Suite 120C Charleston, SC 29401

843-714-2530 www.smithdebnamlaw.com mail@smithdebnamlaw.com

Ron Jones 1972

2 4

Banking/Finance Law; Bankruptcy Law; Business Law; Commercial Law; Corporate Law; Litigation Law; Real Estate Law

Torres Law Firm PA 604 Savannah Highway Charleston, SC 29407

843-720-3732 www.torreslawfirm.net mtorres@torreslawfirm.net

Marco T. Torres, Claire Xidis Torres 2005

2 5

Criminal Law; Immigration Law

Young & Young Attorneys at Law LLC 689 King St. Charleston, SC 29403

843-724-1563 www.adamyounglawfirm.com kelley@younglawfirmsc.com

Kelley Young, Adam Young 2013

2 2

Business Law; Civil Law; Criminal Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Torts Law

Bernstein & Bernstein 5418 Rivers Ave., Suite B North Charleston, SC 29406-6129

843-529-1111 www.bernsteinpa.com rbernstein@bernsteinpa.com

Robert A. Bernstein 1955

1 3

Administrative Law; Appellate Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Construction Law; Corporate Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law

Bristow Beverage Law 811 Savannah Highway, Suite 3 Charleston, SC 29407

843-410-8712 www.bristowbeveragelaw.com frontofhouse@bristowbeveragelaw.com

2013

1 3

Law Firm

Bruce E. Miller P.A. 147 Wappoo Creek Drive, Suite 603 Charleston, SC 29412

843-579-7373 www.brucemillerlaw.com mdixon@brucemillerlaw.com

Bruce Miller 2008

1 3

Labor and Employment Law; Law Firm

Daniel L. Prenner PA 634 King St. Charleston, SC 29403

843-722-7250 danny@dlppa.com

Daniel L. Prenner 2015

1 2

Criminal Law; Family Law

Evan Guthrie Law Firm 164 Market St., Suite 362 Charleston, SC 29401

843-926-3813 www.ekglaw.com contact@ekglaw.com

Evan Guthrie 2010

1 1

Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Corporate Law; Criminal Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Family Law; Immigration Law; Intellectual Property Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law; Social Security Law; Tax Law; Torts Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Gibson Law Firm LLC 5422 Rivers Ave. North Charleston, SC 29406

843-744-1887 www.dgibsonlaw.com law2@dgibsonlaw.com

Don C. Gibson 1976

1 3

Corporate Law; Criminal Law; Estate Planning/Probate Law; Family Law; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law; Workers' Compensation Law

Griffin Humphries LLC 2113 Middle St., Suite 305 Sullivans Island, SC 29482

843-883-7424 www.griffinhumphries.com bhumphries@griffinhumphries.com

Badge Humphries, James M. Griffin 2020

1 1

Administrative Law; Appellate Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Corporate Law; Criminal Law; Health Care Law; Law Firm; Litigation Law; Personal Injury Law; Securities Law; Torts Law

LaMantia Law Firm LLC 81 Vincent Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-724-6363 www.charlestonscdivorce.com anthony@lamantialawfirm.com

Anthony P. LaMantia 2005

1 1

Criminal Law; Family Law

Lawrence J. Needle P.A. 16 Vendue Range Charleston, SC 29401

803-376-1203 www.lneedle.com lneedle@lneedle.com

Lawrence J. Needle 1997

1 1

Immigration Law; Law Firm

Pearce Law Firm LLC 1476 Ben Sawyer Blvd., Suite 1 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-972-0860 www.pearce-law.com dixon@pearce-law.com

Dixon F. Pearce 2007

1 7

Law Firm; Real Estate Law

Popowski Law Firm LLC 171 Church St., Suite 110 Charleston, SC 29401

843-722-8301 www.popowskilawfirm.com david@popowskilaw.com

David Popowski 1981

1 1

Administrative Law; Appellate Law; Business Law; Civil Law; Commercial Law; Corporate Law; Criminal Law; International Law; Labor and Employment Law; Litigation Law; Maritime/Admiralty Law; Personal Injury Law; Real Estate Law; Torts Law; Transportation Law

Stirling & O'Connell 884 Johnnie Dodds Blvd., Suite 201 Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

843-577-9890 www.stirlingoconnell.com moconnell@stirlingoconnell.com

Michael P. O'Connell 1996

1 1

Criminal Law; Family Law

Practice Areas

Researched by Business Journal staff

April 4-17, 2022

www.charlestonbusiness.com 25

Business Communication Companies Ranked by No. of Employees in the Charleston Area Company

Phone / Website / Email

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Home Telecom 579 Stoney Landing Road Moncks Corner, SC 29461

888-746-4482 www.business.homesc.com weborders@homtelco.com

William Helmly 1904

Call Experts 1591 Savannah Highway Charleston, SC 29407

843-724-0000 www.callexperts.com info@callexperts.com

Comcast Business 4400 Belle Oaks Drive North Charleston, SC 29405

Employees / Offices

Specialization

Scale of Services

221 4

High-speed internet, app-based video, voice, security and home automation

Enterprise, residential, small business

Abby Leibowitz 1982

200 1

Customized contact center services and AI powered automated solutions for businesses of all types and sizes throughout North America

Enterprise, residential, small business

843-714-1917 gary_toal@cable.comcast.com

Gary Toal 1963

200 6

Data networking, SD Wan, unified messaging

Enterprise

Verizon Wireless 4854 Ohear Ave. Charleston, SC 29406

843-693-4786 www.verizonwireless.com tara.kutzli@verizonwireless.com

Bennett Parks, Tara Kutzli 2000

174 30

VoIP, networking, security, hosting, email, data

Enterprise, residential, small business

The Office People 5601 Rivers Ave. North Charleston, SC 29406

843-769-7774 www.theofficepeople.com sales@theofficepeople.com

Sean P. Mummert 2004

85 2

Digital multifunctional systems, managed services, digital signage, VOIP phone system, workflow solutions, office furniture, cubicles, interior design, audio visual

Enterprise, small business

Cantey Tech Consulting 2702 Azalea Drive North Charleston, SC 29405

843-278-1827 www.canteytech.com

Willis Cantey 2007

65 2

IT support, security, consulting and strategy

Enterprise, small business

Docugraphics LLC 2408 Ashley River Road, Suite A Charleston, SC 29414

843-573-0303 www.docu-graphics.com info@docu-graphics.com

Thomas Fimian 1983

57 1

Xerox copiers, printers, document management software, managed print services, IT services, finishing solutions, MBM, Graphic Whizard, DocuWare, Kofax, specializing in cloud based office technology

Enterprise, small business

Segra 5900 Core Ave., Suite 300 North Charleston, SC 29406

833-467-3472 www.segra.com marketing@segra.com

Kevin T. Hart, Grey Humphrey, Michael Brewerton 1984

40 1

Ethernet, MPLS, dark fiber, data center services, IP and managed services, voice and cloud solutions

Enterprise, small business

eGroup 482 Wando Park Blvd. Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

877-347-6871 www.egroup-us.com info@egroup-us.com

Michael Carter, Ben Gaddy, Jason Webster 1999

38 2

Managed services, Microsoft Azure services, Microsoft 365 services, hybrid data center services, consulting services

Enterprise, small business

Technology Solutions of Charleston Inc. 4973 Rivers Ave. North Charleston, SC 29406

843-745-0045 www.tscharleston.com rshivers@tscharleston.com

Rachel Shivers Crunk 2000

30 1

IP video surveillance systems, network security, VPNs, wireless, e-business, computer hardware and network integration; temperature and facial recognition

Small business

CNC - Computer & Network Consultants 1611 Cullowhee Drive Mount Pleasant, SC 29464

912-272-4660 www.cncllc.net dhearne@cncllc.net

Darrell Hearne 1993

17 1

IT, AI, cloud, cybersecurity, computers, networks, hardware, software, tech services, web design and hosting, apps, PCI-SSL, SEO-SEM, phone systems, security surveillance cameras, alarm and fire systems, and consulting

Enterprise, small business

DataSpring Inc. 3506 W. Montague Ave., Suite 101 North Charleston, SC 29418

843-824-0908 www.dataspringinc.com marketing@dataspringinc.com

John Fraysher 1995

17 1

Technology systems, servers, hardware, software, accounting and financial software, IT support services, disaster recovery, managed services, websites, software development, e-commerce, business IT consulting, data backup, Microsoft Azure services

Enterprise, small business

TeamLogic IT 215 E. Bay St. Charleston, SC 29401

843-823-7003 www.teamlogicit.com/charlestonsc005 charlestonsc@teamlogicit.com

Denise L. Kaufman 2005

16 1

Small business to enterprise grade support; cybersecurity, information technology, cloud managed services; data backup real-time threat mitigation, disaster recovery; business phone solutions; cabling-installations, configurations, migrations vCTO

Enterprise, residential, small business

Teleco Charleston 1070 St. Andrews Blvd. Charleston, SC 29407

843-571-0000 www.telecochas.com njones@telecochas.com

Nancy Diserio-Jones, Michael Jones 1983

15 1

Fiber optics networking, structured cabling systems, wireless networks, data networks, video networks and VoIP

Enterprise, small business

Radio Communications of Charleston Inc. 102 Farm Road Goose Creek, SC 29445

843-553-4101 www.radiocommofcharleston.com kk4b@radiocommofcharleston.com

Liz Buckner, Rick Buckner 1971

12 1

Engineering emergency radio systems, design and installation of BDAs and DAS, two-way radio sales and service

Enterprise, small business

eLifespaces 1808 Meeting Street Road Charleston, SC 29405

843-577-5644 www.elifespaces.com info@elifespaces.com

Fred Fabian, Dixon Horres, Austin Fabian 2001

10 1

Technology contractors, licensed and insured for installation of systems for access control, fire and security, audio-visual, electrical and data networks for three decades

Residential, small business

Creative Solutions SC LLC 2290 Technical Parkway, Suite C North Charleston, SC 29406

843-285-2550 www.csivoip.com kkelly@csivoip.com

Keith Kelly, Kyle Nicholson, Leslie Kelly 2007

8 1

Technology; installation and support of business communications systems, including telephones, access control, security cameras

Enterprise, small business

Knowlogix LLC 1235 Boonehill Road, Suite 2 Summerville, SC 29483

843-900-4576 www.knowlogix.com info@knowlogix.com

Chris Nuss, Trae Dantzler, Matt DePaulis 2015

8 1

VoIP, voice, SIP, HSI, DIA, call center, cloud, SD-WAN, managed IT services, security, UCaaS, networking, mobility, automation, cabling, recovery and backup, circuit monitoring, colocation, IoT, digital signage, fiber, wifi, CCTV, access control

Enterprise, small business

Charleston Telecommunication Consulting Inc. P.O. Box 1087 Charleston, SC 29457

843-406-9999 www.ctelc.com lauren@ctelc.com

Peter J. Dieppe 1994

6 1

VoIP; telephone systems; hospitality; inside and outside CAT5e and CAT6 voice and data cabling; coaxial TV cabling; fiber optics; paging systems; headsets; consulting

Enterprise, small business

CompuZone of Charleston 7685 Northwoods Blvd., Suite 8E North Charleston, SC 29406

843-207-1911 www.compuzone.com regina@compuzone.com

Regina M. Soriano 1997

6 1

Custom-built computer systems, retail sales and service, networking, on-site services, virus removals, data recovery, full service center for all laptop and desktop diagnostics, troubleshooting and repair

Enterprise, residential, small business

Researched by Business Journal staff

www.charlestonbusiness.com

April 4-17, 2022

Business Communication Companies Ranked by No. of Employees in the Charleston Area Company

Phone / Website / Email

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Employees / Offices

NetGalaxy Studios 1124 Sam Rittenberg Blvd., Suite 4 Charleston, SC 29407

843-480-4476 www.netgalaxystudios.com alan@netgalaxystudios.com

Alan Thompson, Kym Swanger 2010

Responza LLC 29 Gamecock Ave., Suite 201 Charleston, SC 29407

843-990-9200 www.responza.com info@responza.net

Trident Communications Inc. 9433 U.S. Highway 78, Suite A3 Ladson, SC 29456

Specialization

Scale of Services

5 1

Mobile app development, website development, social media marketing

Enterprise, residential, small business

Lance Becker 2005

5 3

Enterprise-grade IT support for small and midsize businesses; network and application issues and minimizing outages

Small business

843-552-1345 www.tridentcommunicationsinc.com info@tridentcommunicationsinc.com

Beth Smith, Kevin E. Smith 1994

5 1

On-premises and hosted phone systems; voice (carrier) and internet services; network structure cable design and integration; network equipment setup

Enterprise, small business

Advanced Management Systems Inc. 930 Folly Road, Suite D Charleston, SC 29422

843-795-4110 www.resortmanagementsystem.com rmsinfo@resortmanagementsystem.com

Barbara Maley 1984

4 2

Develops, supports and markets vacation rental software, the Resort Management System, for the vacation property management industry; in business since 1984

Small business

Bridge Network Systems 4500 Leeds Ave., Suite 231W North Charleston, SC 29405

843-732-4200 www.bn.systems info@bn.systems

Wren Taylor 2014

4 1

Professional IT support; managed services and consulting, services include remote monitoring, desktop and network security, backup, disaster recovery

Enterprise, small business

Compu-Experts 130 Gardners Circle Johns Island, SC 29455

843-509-3700 www.compu-experts.com info@compu-experts.com

Sameer S. Maasarani 1995

4 1

System integration, outsourced IT for small and large businesses, hardware and software sales, design, networks, service and support, partners and dealers to Carbonite online backup

Residential, small business

Lowcountry Audio Visual LLC 2408 Ashley River Road, Suite W Charleston, SC 29414

843-297-8160 www.lowcountryaudiovisual.com anthony@lowcountryaudiovisual.com

Anthony P. Constantine 2017

4 1

Audio visual design and integrate, audio, video and lighting systems

Enterprise, small business

Unifying Technologies 201 Sigma Drive, Suite 300 Summerville, SC 29486

843-972-9040 www.unifyingtech.com info@unifyingtech.com

William J. Howarth, Stuart N. Moser 2015

4 1

Small to mid-size businesses, IT support and services, managed IT, IT consulting, cloud services, consulting services

Enterprise, small business

Cross Industries LLC 1317 N. Main St., Suite M151 Summerville, SC 29483

843-641-7644 www.crossindustries.llc contact@x-ind.com

Sean M. Marvin 2011

2 1

Managed services and security, VOIP, data backup and recovery, infrastructure cabling and fiber, wireless solutions, door access and camera systems

Enterprise, residential, small business

NetTec NSI LLC 460 King St., Suite 200 Charleston, SC 29403

841-881-4651 https://nettecnsi.com info@nettecnsi.com

Joe Rainero 1995

2 1

Azure and Windows virtual desktop, cybersecurity, remote desktop services, Microsoft Azure and cloud services, Office 365, managed IT services

Enterprise, small business

VWP Computer Services 1532 Poinsettia Road Charleston, SC 29407

843-766-3184 www.vwpweb.com vasco@vwpweb.com

Vasco Pickett 2000

1 1

Computer repair, virus and spyware removal, wired and wireless networks, upgrades, consultations

Residential, small business

Researched by Business Journal staff

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People in the News

Business Digest

NIWC Atlantic enters education partnership

Naval Information Warfare Atlantic recently signed an education partnership agreement with South Coast Cyber Center to promote student interest in science, technology, engineering and math. The EPA also creates and promotes an ongoing information exchange between both organizations. A signing event, which was held during the South Coast Cyber Summit, included brief remarks from SCCC Chairman Warren Parker and NIWC Atlantic Executive Director Peter C. Reddy, and followed the summit’s keynote speaker South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. to adequate high-speed internet service. Expanding access to high-speed internet provides opportunities for business development, job creation and economic growth while helping to bridge the digital divide for residents.

Stingray Branding welcomes the dawn of a new day

Fetter Health Care Network expands services to school

Fetter Health Care Network has expanded its school-based health care services to the students of R.B. Stall High School in North Charleston. Fetter, a Lowcountry-based federally qualifiedh health center, has been partnering with Charleston County School District for four years to provide a range of health care services to students, staff and families. The partnership with R.B. Stall High School focuses on providing a range of on-site health and dental services to the school’s student population.

Dorchester County in public-private partnership for rural broadband

Dorchester County Government has announced a public-private partnership with both Home Telecom and Palmetto Rural Telephone Cooperative that will expand high-speed internet access to the western part of the county over the next three years. This $17.1 million investment is subsidized through matching funds provided by Home Telecom and PRTC along with a maximum grant of $8.5 Million from the American Rescue Plan Act. It will result in 325 miles of buried fiber to more than 4,100 homes that currently do not have access

transaction structure includes a closing purchase price of $27.5 million with additional performance earnouts and milestones that could increase the total consideration to approximately $50 million. Blank Rome LLP acted as legal advisor to EPG in connection with this transaction.

Newmark secures $53 million construction loan for resort

Stingray Branding has announced three major changes to the company. The first is a new company website. As a marketing agency with a focus on web design and web development, Stingray Branding believes that its website should serve as a sample for what its clients can expect. The second is the addition of new members to the Stingray marking team. Content director Neil Shulman, graphic designer Ellie Lieberman and marketing manager Kia Stokes have all been hired within the last year.

Newmark has arranged a $53 million construction loan on behalf of Kiawah River Hospitality Group for The Dunlin, Auberge Resorts Collection at Kiawah River. The Dunlin is a five-star, 72-key luxury waterfront hotel located within the Kiawah River residential resort community and expected to open in 2024. The Newmark team was led by Jordan Roeschlaub, Dustin Stolly and Nick Scribani. United Bank provided the loan.

Lowcountry Food Bank earns recertification

The Co-Op expands to Kiawah Island

Lowcountry Food Bank recently announced that it passed stringent food safety inspections this month by the American Institute of Baking International at all three of its regional distribution centers in Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Yemassee. AIB certification is considered the gold standard in food safety.

The Co-Op Frosé and Eatery is expanding to Kiawah’s Freshfields Village. The island café, that originally opened on Sullivan’s Island in 2012 and has since expanded to Isle of Palms, will now also call Kiawah home, serving their gourmet sandwiches, coffee and frosé. The location will officially open its doors May 1.

Evening Post Group sells specialty pharma business

Pure Theatre launches ‘Pure Live’ streaming program

Evening Post Group, a family-owned operating group based in Charleston, has announced the successful sale of EPI Health LLC to Novan Inc. a dermatology company based in Durham, N.C. EPI Health, first acquired by EPG in 2017, is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on dermatology with various FDA approved medicines. The

Pure Theatre recently launched an online streaming program, Pure Live, which includes simulcast performances for virtual audiences as the action is happening live on stage and began with their current production of Ben Butler. The new outlet aims to protect the intrigue and risk of live performance for audiences in the theatre and afar.

ARCHITECTURE Goodwyn Mills Cawood has hired Gable Stubbs as vice president of architecture and Jack Mayfield as aviation manager in Charleston. Stubbes will Stubbs leverage decades of design experience to help the firm deliver projects that will positively impact the region. His previous roles have included founder, partner and principal of architectural firms, most Mayfield recently serving as principal and director of marketing and business development at SGA|NW. He currently serves as a member of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce Central Chamber Council; Urban Land Institute South Carolina Government and Management Committee; and the South Carolina Economic Developers Association Conference Board. Mayfield will be responsible for project management mand plan development for aviation clients throughout South Carolina. He has more than 30 years of experience in multidisciplinary project planning, design and construction management on complex aviation projects, serving both air carrier and general aviation airports. His portfolio includes airport improvement projects throughout the region such as the Charleston Executive Airport in Johns Island and Mount Pleasant Regional Airport. Liollio Architecture has promoted Daniel Corte to associate. Corte joined the Liollio team in 2012 and serves as a federal market champion. Corte He continues to work in Liollio’s design studio on a variety of project types, including federal, community, and healthcare. Some of his recent and award-winning projects include the Charleston International Airport Terminal Redevelopment; South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism Hardeeville Welcome Center; University of South Carolina−Beaufort’s Hilton Head Hospitality Management See PEOPLE, Page 29

www.charlestonbusiness.com

April 4-17, 2022

HOT PROPERTIES Hot Properties highlights recently sold or leased commercial properties in the Charleston region. Send in your transactions at CRBJBizWire.com.

space at 228 Varnfield Drive, Summerville, to Fire & Life Safety America Inc. Marshall Walker Real Estate represented the tenant. Wayne Simon of Woodlock Capital represented the seller, Saltwater Homes, in the sale of 36 townhomes at 340 Archdale Blvd. in North Charleston to Kettler. Wayne Simon of Woodlock Capital represented the buyer.

C&F Properties LLC, in the sale of 6,100 square feet of retail space at 7880 Dorchester Road in North Charleston for $680,000. Vitre Stephens of Avison Young represented the seller. Casey Lowery of Adams Property Group represented the landlord, Gas Lite LLC, in the lease of a 4,130 square

Casey Lowery of Adams Property Group represented the tenant JSK North Creek LLC in the lease of a 900 square foot retail space at 205 Cross Creek Drive, Unit C, North Creek Nexton, in Summerville. The landlord is North Creek Development Partners LLC.

Vitré Stephens and Taylor Sekanovich of Avison Young - South Carolina Inc. represented the seller, Hamlin Market LLC, in the sale of 9,878 square feet of retail space at 2521 U.S. Highway 17N in Mount Pleasant to AMDG 17N L.P. for $2.3 million.

Jenna Philipp of Palmetto Commercial Properties LLC represented the seller in the sale of 5,240 square feet of retail space at 932 Savannah Highway, Charleston, for $1,592,000. Brumley Smith of Palmetto Commercial Properties LLC represented the buyer. Jeremy Willits of Avison Young South Carolina Inc. represented the landlord, 5900 Core Avenue LLC, in the lease of 1,564 square feet of office space at 5900 Core Ave. in North Charleston to Davis Defense Group Inc. Ryan P. Carmody of CBRE Inc. represented the tenant. Jenna Philipp of Palmetto Commercial Properties represented the tenant, Himalaya Worldwide LLC, in the lease of 16,000 square feet of industrial space at 498A Jessen Lane, Charleston. John Kincaid and Milton Thomas of Lee & Associates represented the landlord.

Kip Bowman and Sara Bodell of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic represented the landlord in the lease of 2,435 square feet of medical office space at 85 Springview Lane, Unit B, in Summerville. Kip Bowman and Sara Bodell of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic represented the tenant, Charleston SOR LLC, in the lease of 2,600 square feet of retail space at 1907 U.S. Highway 17N, Suite 102, in Mount Pleasant. Kevin Shields of Belk Lucy represented the landlord. Kip Bowman and Sara Bodell of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic represented the landlord in the lease of 1,000 square feet of retail space at 3430 Maybank Highway, Unit B, in Johns Island. Andrew Patterson of Convey represented the tenant. Kip Bowman and Sara Bodell of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic represented the landlord in the lease of 1,000 square feet of retail space at 3430 Maybank Highway, Unit A, in Johns Island.

Robert Pratt of RE/MAX Pro Realty represented the landlord, Sheep Island Properties of Summerville LLC, in the lease of 11,200 square feet of warehouse

Jenna Philipp of Palmetto Commercial Properties represented the landlord, Commercial Rental Solutions LLC, in the lease of 1,685 square feet of retail space at 1305 Ashley River Road, Charleston, to Feast & Flora Farm LLC. Keith Mayfield of Twin Rivers Capital LLC represented the tenant.

Jenna Philipp of Palmetto Commercial Properties LLC represented the landlord, James Island Business Park LLC, in the lease of 1,480 square feet of industrial space at 1750 Signal Point Road to Redfin Charters LLC. Tim Rowley of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic represented the buyer in the sale of 34.224 acres square of land at the corner of Betsy Kerrison Parkway and River Road on Johns Island.

Kip Bowman and Sara Bodell of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic represented the landlord in the lease of 646 square feet of retail space at 3430 Maybank Highway, Unit D, in Johns Island. Ben Chase of Coldwell Banker Commercial Atlantic represented the buyer,

Trey Lucy and Blair Belk of Belk Lucy represented the landlord in the lease of 1,554 square feet of retail space at 320 W. Coleman Blvd., Suite G2, in Mount Pleasant to Bitty Chip Cookies. Tyler Felt of Windsor Aughtry represented the tenant.

foot retail space at 5605B Rivers Ave., Gas Lite Square, in North Charleston, to WAC Ventures LLC, dba LaundroLab. The landlord is an affiliate of Adams Property Group. Phil Rose, Keith Mayfield of Twin Rivers Capital represented the landlord in the lease of 4,600 square feet of flex space at 1040 Legrand Blvd., Charleston, to Pulte Homes. Jeremy Willits and Gerry Schauer of Avison Young - South Carolina Inc. represented the landlord, Maple View Properties, in the lease of 1,092 square feet of office space at 884 Johnnie Dodds Blvd. in Mount Pleasant to Palmetto State Properties & Associates. Alisha Alfonso of Palmetto State Properties & Associates represented the tenant. Robert Pratt of RE/MAX Pro Realty represented the landlord, Sheep Island Properties of Summerville LLC, in the lease of 11,200 square feet of warehouse space at 226 Varnfield Drive, Summerville, to Milbrandt Group Inc. Nickolas Gabel of Excel Real Estate represented the tenant. Trey Lucy and Blair Belk of Belk Lucy represented the landlord in the lease of 2,533 square feet of retail space at 3540 Park Avenue Blvd. in Mount Pleasant to Lola Rose. Mandy Coleman of National Restaurant Properties represented the tenant. Trey Lucy and Blair Belk of Belk Lucy represented the landlord in the lease of 1,700 square feet of retail space at 320 W. Coleman Blvd., Suite N, in Mount Pleasant to Citrine Swim.

Casey Lowery of Adams Property Group represented Agaves Nexton LLC, dba Agaves Mexican Restaurant, in the lease of a 3,083 square foot retail space at North Creek Nexton in Summerville. Jeremy Willits and Gerry Schauer of Avison Young - South Carolina Inc. represented the tenant, OOCL (USA) Inc., in the lease of 10,069 square feet of industrial space at 774 S. Shelmore Drive in Mount Pleasant from CC Mount Pleasant LLC. Richard Morse and Trad Dyches of Palmetto Commercial Properties LLC represented the landlord. Casey Lowery of Adams Property Group represented the landlord, Gas Lite LLC, in the lease of 4,130 square feet of retail space at 5605-B Rivers Ave., North Charleston, to WAC Ventures LLC, dba LaundroLab. Kevin Shields of Belk Lucy represented the tenant, Premiere Automation LLC, in the lease of 1,553 square feet of office space at 474 Wando Park Blvd., Suite 106A, in Mount Pleasant. Hailey Clifton of Landmark Enterprises represented the landlord. Morrow Boggs and Chris Dion of Belk Lucy represented the landlord in the lease of 1,380 square feet of office space at 5325 Park Forest Parkway, Suite A, in North Charleston to PeopleLink Staffing Solutions. Trey Lucy, Blair Belk of Belk Lucy represented the landlord in the lease of 1,255 square feet of office space at 320 W. Coleman Blvd., Suite G1, in Mount Pleasant to Marley Presswood Group. Marley Presswood of Marley Presswood Group represented the tenant.

April 4-17, 2022

www.charlestonbusiness.com 29

PEOPLE, from Page 27

Campus; city of Charleston’s Bender Street Park Event Space and Community Center; and the National Park Service U.S. Virgin Islands Lind Point Complex.

CONSTRUCTION SouthCon Building Group LLC has hired Cantey Hare as business developHare ment manager. Cantey is a graduate of the College of Charleston with 35 years of experience in real estate, construction and business development in the Lowcountry. He is a licensed South Carolina realtor and a member of SCEDA, ULI and the Commercial and Investment Division of the Charleston Trident Association of Realtors.

LAW K&L Gates has hired four new attorneys in its Charles-

ton office: John Bozeman, Wes Gangi, Sarah Kamensky and Collin Peck. Bozeman joins the firm’s real estate practice group directly out of law school. He received his B.A. from Washington and Lee University and his J.D. from the University of South Carolina School of Law (cum laude), where he was an editor on the South Carolina Law Review. Gangi joins the firm’s asset management and investment funds group after previously working as an associate at the Chicago office of a global law firm. He received his B.A. from the College of Charleston and his J.D. from Vanderbilt School of Law, where he was an editor for the Environmental Law and Policy Annual Review. Kamensky joins the firm’s real estate finance practice group after spending time as a tax associate at an accounting and advisory firm in Chicago. She earned her B.F.A. from the University of Georgia (cum laude) and her J.D. from the DePaul University College of Law, where she was an editor for The DePaul Journal of Health Care Law. Peck joins the firm’s real estate practice group from the real estate group of an international law

firm headquartered in New York City. He received his B.A. from Washington and Lee University and his J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.

has owned a sales representative business focused on business development, strategic planning and sales for manufacturing companies. He’ll work at Dunes’ Bohicket office.

REAL ESTATE

AgentOwned Realty has hired Tim Benson at its Summerville Trolley Road office Benson and Carlos Julio “CJ” Soto Pinero at its Goose Creek office. Benson began his real estate career in the Upstate Pinero in 1996. Now a recruiter and trainer for AgentOwned, he also focuses on listing and selling residential and investment property. Soto Pinero joined the real estate profession after serving in the U.S. Air Force, where he specialized in recruiting and retention.

Dunes Properties has added Colin Crates and Rick McDonCrates ald to their team of realtors. Colin Crates studied political science and international studies at the College McDonald of Charleston. After graduating with honors, he began a career in real estate utilizing love of the area to help others call Charleston their home, too. He will work at Dunes’ downtown office. McDonald graduated from Furman University with a B.A. in history and English. For the last 17 years, he

Avison Young’s Charleston

South Carolinas Media Engineer for Economic Growth

MIN

office has promoted Ashley Jackrel to Vice President. Jackrel joined Avison Young in 2020. She Jackrel currently serves on the City of Charleston’s Design Review Board and as an Honorary Commander for Joint Base Charleston, and as the Commercial Representative on the Executive Committee for South Carolina Realtors. Realtors Ann Coggiola and Brian DeMille have joined The Cassina Group. Both have experience workin in the Charleston real estate industry. Prior to real estate, Coggiola worked as an investigator. She is involved in several nonprofits, including Lowcountry Orphan Relief, Be A Mentor Program, and the Charleston Leadership Foundation, among others. DeMille began his professional career building the May River Golf Course in Bluffton, and later worked on the first three phases of Palmetto Bluff before returning to Charleston.

G IN

MAY

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For now, recession nowhere in sight for US

Target your market in an upcoming issue of the Charleston Regional Business Journal

APRIL 18

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e do not expect a recession any time between now and the end of 2023 largely because real interest rates will remain negative, and because there remains considerable excess liquidity in the economy. Other economists are more concerned, but nobody is expecting a recession. But what if we are wrong? The Fed is raising interest rates quickly and will soon begin STEPHEN to shrink its balance SLIFER sheet. At some point that action will begin to bite. What indicators should we look at to give us some early warning that the economy is about to head downwards? Here are six of our favorites. Real interest rates. Keep your eye on real interest rates, not the nominal level. Consider the following. Back in the late 1970s the prime rate was 20% but the corporate tax rate was 50%. That firm was not paying 20%, after tax it was paying 10%. With inflation soaring at 12% the firm’s real, after-tax cost of borrowing was -2.0%. As stupid as it might have appeared it paid the firm to borrow at the 20% rate because it could write off so much against taxes and pay it back with cheaper dollars. The lesson is to keep your eye on the real level of interest rates not the nominal rate. With the funds rate today at 0.25% and the yearover-year increase in the CPI of 7.9%, that real funds rate is -7.6%. At the end of 2023 we expect the funds rate to be 3.75%, and we expect the CPI to increase 6.2%. Almost two years from now the real funds rate is still likely to be -2.5%. The real funds rate needs to be positive to have any chance of slowing the pace of economic activity. Stock market. The economy does not dip into recession without first having experienced a significant drop in stock prices. The problem is that the stock market tends to give a lot of false signals. For that reason we also want confirming evidence from other economic indicators. Currently, the stock market is not flashing a warning. After nearly two years of rapid ascent the combination of inflation fears and the Ukraine/Russia war has made investors nervous. The S&P 500 recently declined about 12% from its end of year peak. That is usually characterized as a “correction” which occurs regularly during any expansionary period with no particular economic significance. Yield Curve. The yield curve is always an excellent recession predictor. Once the curve inverts, a recession almost inevita-

bly follows a year or so later. But which spread to use? We use the difference between the yield on the 10-year note and the Federal funds rate. Right now with the yield on the 10-year at 2.3% and the funds rate at 0.25%, the spread is +2.0%. Hardly a sign of impending doom. Initial claims. This is a measure of layoffs. The idea is that if firms begin to worry about a recession some will begin to lay off workers. If initially only a few firms do so, claims will rise while payroll employment continues to climb. If claims rise steadily for a while, payroll employment will eventually begin to fall. The first month that payroll employment drops is typically the beginning of the recession. Right now claims are the lowest they have been in the past 50 years. Job openings are at a record high level. Firms are desperately seeking to hire workers, not fire them. Orders. If orders continue to slide eventually manufacturers will cut production. Like payroll employment, a drop in industrial production typically marks the beginning of the recession. Thus, orders are a leading indicator. We tend to focus more on the orders component of the Institute for Supply Management’s monthly survey of manufacturers. Orders are rising when the level is above 50.0. It is currently at a very healthy level of 61.7 and orders have been rising for 21 straight months. No sign of any problem here either. Building permits. The housing sector has been hot with the average home selling in just 19 days which is the shortest length of time between listing and sale ever recorded. But at some point the steady run-up in mortgage rates and continuing climb in home prices will take a toll. If consumers begin to feel strapped the place where that angst shows up first is in housing because housing is the biggest item in any consumer’s budget. Currently building permits are much higher now than they were at the beginning of the recession and are, in fact, at their highest level since the final days of the housing boom in 2006. From what we can see, all sectors of the economy currently are particularly robust. For that reason, we do not expect a recession between now and the end of next year. But the Fed has made it clear that rates are headed higher and it will soon begin to shrink its balance sheet. Eventually the economy will go over the edge, but you will get an early warning signal from one or more of the above indicators. Former Lehman Brothers economist Stephen Slifer can be reached at www.numbernomics. com.

Viewpoint

VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS

Why Boeing could be positioned to resurge amid global crisis

oeing has faced a lot of bad press in recent years, and deservedly so. After two Boeing 737 Max crashes killed 346 people, the American aerospace giant was criticised for its “slow” and “defensive” handling of the crisis, and nearly 400 planes were grounded for 20 months following a temporary ban by the US authorities. The company has also been plagued with problems at its South Carolina plant, which makes 787 Dreamliners. However, Boeing has got a lot right too JOSEPH – and this is becomMELLOR ing apparent as events in Ukraine unfold. New aircraft rely heavily on lightweight materials, including titanium. Titanium has other key properties too, including its high strength and heat resistance, making it ideal for use in the body of the plane (the airframe), the parts that hold the structure together (the fastening elements), and the wheels and undercarriage (the landing gear). Unfortunately, titanium is scarce – and 16% of its supply comes from Russia and Ukraine. Following the 2014 Crimean crisis, Boeing began stockpiling titanium and started diversifying its arrangements for sourcing metals. In a statement on March 7, the company sought to reassure its stakeholders about its position with regards to raw materials: Interestingly, Boeing suspended buying titanium from Russia earlier in March, even though the metal is not yet covered by US sanctions. Airbus may also have been stockpiling titanium since Crimea, but it continues to rely on Russia for its supply, citing its compliance with EU sanctions. Thanks to its diversification, Boeing now relies on Russia for about 35% of its supply, whereas different sources put Airbus somewhere between 50% and 65%. Incidentally, smaller manufacturers are even more reliant: Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer relies on Russia for 100% of its supply. Both Boeing and Airbus have taken a hit in the stock market since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, because of the prospect of decreased demand for aircraft in affected markets and potential disruption to financing arrangements. Boeing has performed marginally better at the time of writing, having generally underperformed Airbus in recent years. And should sanctions be placed on Russian titanium, Airbus and other manufac-

The Boeing Co. produces 787 Dreamliners at a manufacturing, assembly, paint and delivery campus in North Charleston. (Photo/Boeing Co.)

turers would find themselves in a difficult (perhaps impossible) position. For Boeing, the threat is much less significant.

The 747-8 – a plane that failed well

The Boeing 747 might be about the most successful plane of all time, but the 747-8, launched in 2005, has been described as a “flop” for the company. Boeing’s final punt in the jumbo era sold 138 planes, compared to 249 by main rival, the Airbus A380. Yet Airbus’ success over the 747-8 was pyrrhic. The fact that Boeing developed the 747-8 lured Airbus into mobilizing huge resources into the A380, having not previously had the infrastructure to build such a vehicle. Boeing, which obviously did not have this problem, was able to spend elsewhere. The 747-8 programm cost US$4 billion (£3 billion) after adjusting for inflation, while the A380 cost six or seven times more. The problem for Airbus was that the market pivoted from jumbos towards midsized widebody aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The industry has for years been shifting towards “point-to-point” flying between two places, as opposed to via a hub like London Heathrow, and COVID accelerated this trend. This favours the operational agility of mid-size aircraft. Consequently, many airlines including Air France, KLM and Virgin Atlantic have prematurely retired their A380 and 747 fleets. Production of A380s was wrapped up in 2021 after Emirates cancelled its final orders, while Boeing 747 production ceas-

es this year. Launched in 2004, the Dreamliner boasts unprecedented fuel efficiency and comfort. It soon became the fastest selling widebody aircraft of all time. Airbus put everything into the A380 – a plane for which Boeing knew there was little demand. Even when Airbus did get the A330neo to market to compete with the Dreamliner in 2014, its development was a modified version of a pre-existing airframe, so it cannot match the 787 in terms of fuel efficiency and comfort. In any case, the 787 had already cemented itself as the preferred plane in its market. Boeing has delivered 1,006 of them to customers and has orders for about 900 more, whereas the A330neo has done 67 deliveries and a total of 348 orders. Airbus has been more successful with its A350, which is a larger widebody aircraft more suited to long haul that began passenger flights in 2015. Boeing’s competition, the 777X, is due for its first delivery in 2023 (having been delayed by the problems with the 737 Max). In terms of orders, the A350 is ahead, but the 777X has been on sale for less time and is picking up orders. Boeing is also launching a larger version of the Dreamliner to compete with the A350, so there is the potential for the A350 to be squeezed from both sides.

Where next

The question is whether Boeing can repeat its success with the Dreamliner in other segments of the market. We eagerly

await news on its new mid-sized aircraft for medium-haul flights (currently referred to as the 797), which has also been delayed by the 737 Max problems. Designed to replace the narrowbody 757 and compete with the Airbus A321XLR, which is due to enter service in 2023, this aircraft may be critical to Boeing’s success. In the narrowbody market, which is for shorter flights, the Airbus A320 family recently inched ahead of Boeing’s 737 in terms of sales, though the 737 retains the lead for aircraft delivered. It is uncertain how potential supply chain issues may disrupt this balance. The ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine has the potential to be hard, particularly on Airbus. The future of aircraft manufacturing is uncertain. But by thinking forwards, in terms of sourcing arrangements and travel demand, Boeing has been shrewd. So long as Boeing learns lessons from its recent past, it may finally be back in the ascendant. Joseph Mellors is associate lecturer at Northumbria University in Newcastle. This column originally appeared in The Conversation, theconversation.com, and is reprinted with permission.

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