Charleston Regional Business Journal - Newsmakers 2022

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A YEAR THAT FORETELLS CHANGE

One of them can be scratched off the to-do list while another was just added. This publication is a look at some of the top stories of the year and some that are simply interesting, even if there is no widespread impact.

Norton Managing Editor-Content

My choice for story of the year was easy to pick for the cover, especially since no one gave me parameters for what makes something the story of the year. To me, it’s the one scratched off the list — deliver Dreamliners. And after a long and exacting process of safety assurance and process review, Boeing did just that. The FAA was satisfied that a well-reported safety issue was fixed. Boeing believed it was fixed, too. The company one day said it was close to making delivery and two days later, they delivered. For the first time since 2021, a customer in August received a new 787, assembled in North Charleston.

The late addition to this collection eventually may prove to be the story of the decade. Redbone Materials came in so late in the year that we had to make a spot for them in this edition. You will find more details on Page 28, but for now let’s just focus on a number — 3.5 billion — a number so large that everyone feels compelled to say it twice and really emphasize the B sound the second time. That’s how many dollars the company intends to spend turning a large tract of land into a production facility for the electric vehicle battery market.

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The orders and the news have continued to come from Boeing, the latest being a December order of 100 Dreamliners by United Airlines.

The electric vehicle battery has, in fact, been a recurring story all year with plans for battery production at sites from the mountains to the coast. So much so that the term “battery belt” has emerged to describe the region. No one knows what the future holds, but it sure seems like it will be battery powered. It’s a subtle but certain shift in who we are.

Let’s keep an eye on it.

Ross Norton Managing Editor-Content

ABOUT THE COVER

Production at Boeing’s North Charleston assembly plant never exactly came to a stop, but it slowed dramatically while deliveries halted as the company and the FAA worked to address safety concerns over tiny cracks. Photo provided by Boeing Co.

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Boeing makes first Dreamliner 787 delivery since 2021

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

No one had to bump a horn to urge Boeing through the green light.

Just two days after the FAA issued a statement saying deliveries of the North Charleston 787s could resume “in the coming days,” and a day after Boeing remained mum on a specific schedule, American Airlines has received a 787-8, according to a company statement and a message to employees from Stan Deal, president and CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes.

“We have resumed 787 deliveries, fol-

lowing our thorough engineering analysis, verification and rework activities to ensure all airplanes conform to Boeing’s exacting specifications and regulatory requirements,” the company statement said. “We remain committed to maintaining transparent discussions with our regulators, customers and suppliers to ensure we continue to deliver airplanes that meet all regulatory requirements and Boeing’s highest

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The aeronautics program at Charleston Southern University, launched a year ago, achieved designation as a Part 141 pilot school this fall. Federal Aviation Administration-certificated pilot schools are regulated by the Code of Federal Regulations part 141, according to the FAA. Charleston Southern University is the only institution in the state to offer a Bachelor of Science in Aeronautics. Prior to CSU establishing the program, South Carolina was one of only two states without a collegiate aeronautics program.

The CEO of the first company to receive a 787 since early in 2021, American Airlines, said he expects to receive eight more this year. (Photo/Boeing)

Harrison Hunt, the first CSU aeronautics student to take a solo flight, is a junior aeronautics-professional pilot major. (Photo/CSU)

BOEING

Nucor investing $425M to expand in Berkeley County

By Jason Thomas jthomas@scbiznews.com

Nucor Corp. will expand its operations in Berkeley County with a $425 million investment.

The steel and steel products manufacturer’s project is expected to create 50 jobs, according to a news release from the South Carolina governor’s office.

Located at 1455 Old Hagan Ave. in Huger, Nucor’s latest expansion at the Berkeley facility will include the addition of a galvanizing line that will expand the manufacturing of corrosion-resistant products, the release stated.

“We would like to thank the state of South Carolina, Berkeley County and Santee Cooper

for their support on this project,” Mike Lee, vice president and general manager at Nucor Steel Berkeley, said in the release. “We are excited to further expand the capabilities of Nucor Steel Berkeley to better serve our customers.”

With a history dating back to 1905, Nucor manufactures a variety of products including carbon and alloy steel, hollow structural tubing, electrical conduit, precision castings and more, the release stated. The company’s products serve the agriculture, automotive and energy industries along with several others.

The expansion is expected to be complete in mid-2025, the release stated. Employment infor-

mation is available on the company’s careers page.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project, the release stated. The council also approved a $400,000 Set-Aside grant to Berkeley County to assist with costs of site preparation.

In September, Nucor, one of the largest manufacturers of steel and steel products in North America, announced it intended to spend more than $200 million on Berkeley County facilities in the next five years, including a building that supplies industrial gases to the mill’s central operations.

Just a month before this announcement, the company announced a $200 million facilities plan over the next five years, including the addition of a building that supplies industrial gases to the mill’s central operations.

Nucor’s expansion will include the construction of an air separation unit to supply industrial gases to the company’s steelmaking operations. When complete, the air separation unit will be operated by UIG LLC, a Nucor wholly owned subsidiary that specializes in industrial gas supply and services. CRBJ

Reach Jason Thomas at 864-568-7570.

Grain & Barrel Spirits, a Charleston-based company that develops and scales craft spirits with the intent to connect artisans to consumers worldwide, has partnered with Wilderness Collective, which operates adventures to help people disconnect and discover character through exploration. As Wilderness Collective’s official spirits partner, the collaboration will showcase spirits made for the outdoor drinking occasion for both Chicken Cock Whiskey and Tequila Eterno Verano.

In addition to its flagship Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Kentucky Straight Rye, the brand recently introduced Island Rooster Rum Barrel Rye. (Photo/Provided)

Roper St. Francis plans to build $1B health campus

By Jason Thomas jthomas@scbiznews.com

Roper St. Francis Healthcare will build a new campus in North Charleston that will include a new hospital and office building.

The $1 billion Roper Hospital Medical Campus in North Charleston will occupy 27-acres near interstates 26 and 526 and be easily accessible for patients living in Berkeley, Charleston or Dorchester counties, according to a Roper release.

The project will be one of the largest, most advanced health care construction projects on the East Coast and will meet the health care needs of one of the fastest growing areas in the country.

“This new medical campus will be a paradigm for providing healthcare, whether that’s complex surgeries in a hospital or an annual checkup in an outpatient office,” said Dr. Jeffrey DiLisi, president and chief executive offi-

cer of Roper St. Francis Healthcare, said in the release. “We made the bold decision one year ago to move Roper Hospital, and I’m grateful to our North Charleston partners for breathing life into this dream. This new campus will ensure our ability to continue delivering the quality care that’s been the hallmark of our brand for generations.”

The new Roper Hospital Medical Campus is expected to include a full-service acute care

hospital with a 24-hour Emergency Room, the release stated. The campus also will have a Medical Office Building where a vast array of outpatient and specialty care will be provided.

Roper St. Francis Healthcare has secured six premium real estate parcels off Mall Drive near North Charleston City Hall to build the campus.

In November 2021, DiLisi announced a roadmap for the next decade for the Low-

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Grain & Barrel Spirits, a Charleston-based company that develops and scales craft spirits with the intent to connect artisans to consumers worldwide, has partnered with Wilderness Collective, which operates adventures to help people disconnect and discover character through exploration. As Wilderness Collective’s official spirits partner, the collaboration will showcase spirits made for the outdoor drinking occasion for both Chicken Cock Whiskey and Tequila Eterno Verano.

In addition to its flagship Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Kentucky Straight Rye, the brand recently introduced Island Rooster Rum Barrel Rye. (Photo/Provided)

A rendering shows a view of the main building on the proposed new campus. (Rendering/Provided)

country’s largest health care system for adults that centered on caring for more patients, expanding services and modernizing technology to better serve future generations, the release stated. One of the five key initiatives of that Roper St. Francis Healthcare 2030 plan was optimizing the health care system’s footprint in the Lowcountry, which also includes expanding Roper St. Francis Berkeley Hospital and providing additional health care services in highly populated and growing communities.

This new campus will be the fourth location for Roper Hospital since it opened downtown in 1856 and will be technologically and structurally upgraded to better withstand natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes and earthquake, the release stated.

While construction may take up to five years, Roper St. Francis Healthcare will continue to offer services on the Charleston peninsula to remain convenient to those in need downtown, according to the release.

Roper St. Francis Healthcare has long maintained a strong presence in North Charleston, operating the Roper Hospital Diagnostics & ER – Northwoods, along with two Express Care locations and the Greer Transitions Clinic.

Roper St. Francis Healthcare hired E4H Environments for Health Architecture and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) to design the new medical campus, the release stated. The partnership combines global design

excellence with comprehensive health care planning and design expertise. These teams provide a combination of local knowledge and national thought leadership, which has facilitated innovations and transformations for clients such as New York-Presbyterian Hospital, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, Cleveland Clinic, and Egypt’s New National Cancer Institute in Giza, one of the largest facilities of

its kind in the world.

“E4H is honored to be a part of this landmark project for Roper St. Francis Healthcare and the community which it will serve. As a mission-driven organization focused on 100 percent healthcare design, we are dedicated to improving outcomes for patients, families, and caregivers. E4H is deeply inspired by the synergy between RSFH’s core values and our

own,” said Jeremy Bartz, partner at E4H, in the release. “Starting with a systemwide strategic masterplan that will provide key insight into critical needs across the community, E4H and SOM will design a new medical campus that will set the standard for healthcare in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.” CRBJ

Reach Jason Thomas at 864-568-7570.

Bosch investing $260M in North Charleston expansion

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

Bosch Charleston started producing electric motors this month. But the company needs more space and more people.

So Bosch announced Oct. 25 that it will invest more than $260 million to further expand production of electrification products at the North Charleston facility, which the company calls Bosch Charleston, an investment that will add 75,000 square feet and 350 new jobs to the site by 2025.

“We have grown our electrification business globally and here in the North American region,” said Mike Mansuetti, president of Bosch in North America. “We’ve invested more than $6 billion in electromobility development and in 2021 our global orders for electromobil-

ity surpassed $10 billion for the first time. Local production helps to advance our customers’ regional electrification strategies, and further supports the market demand for electrification.”

The company already dedicated about 200,000 square feet of an existing building on the Bosch Charleston campus to electromobility. The new assembly area includes the production of rotors and stators, and the final assembly of the electric motor.

The company also said it has secured additional electromobility business that makes the expansion necessary. The expansion is expected to be operational by the end of 2023.

The Bosch site in North Charleston sup-

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ports multiple products from the Bosch Mobility Solutions portfolio, according to the news release. The site produces high-pressure fuel injectors and pumps for internal combustion engines. It also manufactures safety-related products.

The Bosch Charleston facility, which opened in 1974, is the largest manufacturing site in the United States for Bosch from an employment perspective with around 1,500 associates. It covers more than 900,000 square feet of floor space on 118 acres.

The electric motor production space is in a building formerly occupied by diesel components production. Bosch announced in January 2020 that production of diesel powertrain

components would be slowly ramped down. The company indicated then it would pursue electrification business.

“This launch delivers on a commitment to our associates and to the local community in Charleston,” said Mansuetti, who started his Bosch career as a manufacturing engineer at the Charleston facility. “We are in the midst of major shifts in mobility, and the story of reinvention in Charleston is a model for how electrification production can evolve from within an existing facility. We are building on the long-standing expertise and commitment of the Charleston team with this new production.”

In August Mansuetti also delivered future-leaning news to the Anderson plant he once managed, where the company will invest more than $200 million and hire 350 workers to produce fuel cell stacks to be used in hydrogen-powered trucks.

As part of the Charleston site transformation, called Bosch Charleston, the company has provided reskilling and upskilling opportunities to employees to prepare for the production of electric motors. Those opportunities include travelling to other sites within the global Bosch production network for training and best practice sharing, according to a news release.

Bosch is also collaborating with local schools to begin implementing fundamentals related to electrification into curriculum. The Bosch Community Fund, the corporate foundation for Bosch in North America, has invested more than $2.5 million in grants related to STEM education efforts in the Charleston area since 2013, the release said.

As its orders in electromobility continue to increase, the Bosch global production network has been ramping up to support the expanding demand for electrification. Local-for-local production supports a robust supply chain approach for local customer needs.

“We have long been believers in the potential of electromobility and we have been investing heavily to bring this technology to market at scale for our customers,” Mansuetti said in the release. CRBJ

Cummins celebrated the opening of a North Charleston facility which will create 250 jobs. (Photo/Provided)

Cummins Turbo Technologies opened its expanded turbo remanufacturing operations in North Charleston on Oct. 14, a $27 million investment expected to create 250 new jobs. The new facility will remanufacture used turbochargers that the company says will meet the same specifications as new turbos. Each remanufactured turbo will go through a validation process to ensure they meet dependability and performance expectations of Cummins’ customers.

Dorchester County Council Chairman Bill Hearn congratulates Bosch for securing the electric motor business for the company to replace the diesel production line that was phased out starting in 2020. (Photo/Ross Norton)

Work begins on $550M SC Ports project

By Jason Thomas jthomas@scbiznews.com

South Carolina Ports will soon have neardock rail and an inner-harbor barge operation to ensure fluidity and capacity for the Southeast supply chain.

SC Ports officials and elected officials gathered last month in North Charleston to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Navy Base Intermodal Facility, according to an S.C. Ports news release. S.C. Ports is developing the railserved intermodal yard to provide near-dock rail to the Port of Charleston.

“This resolves the last remaining competitive disadvantage we have as a major East Coast container port,” S.C. Ports President and CEO

Barbara Melvin said in the release. “This critical infrastructure project will greatly enhance S.C. Ports’ capacity, allowing imports and exports to swiftly move between the hinterland and the Port of Charleston.”

The Navy Base Intermodal Facility sits about one mile from Leatherman Terminal, according to the release. Containers will be moved to and from the Leatherman Terminal on a dedicated road. Inside the intermodal yard, rail-mounted gantry cranes will lead containers on and off trains.

In partnership with Palmetto Railways, Class I railroads CSX and Norfolk Southern

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will utilize S.C. Ports’ state-of-the-art rail yard to further enhance rail competitiveness, the release stated. Nearly 80,000 feet of rail track will create a capacity of 1 million rail lifts in Phase 1.

The Navy Base Intermodal Facility will also further enhance S.C. Ports’ rail-served Inland Ports in Greer and Dillon, the release stated.

The ports’ inner-harbor barge operation will support the Navy Base Intermodal Facility by moving containers between Wando Welch Terminal and Leatherman Terminal via a designated marine highway. This creative solution addresses trucking capacity as more cargo con-

tinues to flow through S.C. Ports, according to the release.

“The inner-harbor barge operation and innovative rail yard will add critical capacity to our port market,” Melvin said in the release.

“These investments will further support our customers’ supply chains and attract additional cargo to our port, supporting job creation throughout South Carolina.”

The South Carolina Legislature and Gov. Henry McMaster have allocated a total of $550 million to fully fund these projects — $400 million for the rail yard and $150 million for the barge operation, the release stated.

The S.C. Ports Authority welcomed its first shipment of 700 chassis Jan. 24, a milestone moment as the agency makes a hefty move to own and operate its own chassis fleet. Following this shipment from Vietnam, another round of 1,600 chassis was expected to reach land in February. From there, equipment would continue flowing in all year, leading toward a spring 2023 opening for the S.C. Maritime Chassis Pool.

Aerial view of Leatherman Terminal with Ravenel Bridge in the background. Photo/Walter Lagarenne)

The SC Ports-owned chassis pool is expected to open in spring 2023. (Photo/SCPA, English Purcell)

Auto sector changed SC’s economic landscape 30 years ago

By Teri Errico Griffis

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 Palmetto 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 more than 260,000 Sprinter and Metris vans since opening in 2018.

Individually in 2021, BMW Manufacturing topped the list of highest export value for all U.S. auto manufacturers for the eighth year in a row, according to data from the U.S. Commerce Department. Last year, the plant exported 257,876 vehicles with a total export value of $10.1 billion to 120 countries — primarily through the Port of Charleston and by rail to Canada.

“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 — and 15,000 anticipated jobs — and 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. That same month, 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.

Lightsey hopes manufacturers and suppliers will look to the Department of Commerce as a partner, whether it’s connecting businesses, helping with workforce needs or supporting the rescaling and retooling of facilities.

“We want to help you with that,” Lightsey said. “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.”

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 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.”

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DaimlerChrysler AG at the Bremen, Germany, plant in 1999 as a graduate process engineer.

Axel Bense formerly headed up company production in Thailand and Russia. (Photo/Provided)

Former lead of Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Thailand and Mercedez-Benz RUS Axel Bense succeeded Arnhelm Mittelbach as CEO and president of the company’s North Charleston plant on April 1. Mittelbach, who had served at the helm of South Carolina’s Mercedes-Benz Vans plant since 2019, will take on a new position at MercedesBenz Cars at the company’s headquarters in Stuttgart, Germany, following the transition in April. Bense joined the then

When Harry Lightsey took the stage at the S.C. Automotive Summit in early March, the South Carolina secretary of commerce understood the room.

Volvo Cars builds the S60 sedan at the company’s Ridgeville manufacturing facility. Volvo is expanding the capability of the site to build an electric vehicle, the Polestar 3. (Photo/Provided)

Consortium secures grant to train electric vehicle workforce

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

Trident Technical College took the lead on a grant to form a consortium that its members hope will create the next generation of innovation and talent for the electric vehicle industry.

The consortium, called Collaborative Research: REVVED, for Revolutionizing Electric Vehicle Education, will receive $2.83 million from the National Science Foundation to fund the project.

A growing need to develop a workforce that can build and service electric and autonomous vehicles, as well as develop the cybersecurity to protect them, is the driving force behind the effort, according to a news release.

Even if they’re not making electrified vehicles in South Carolina, all of the automakers with plants in the state are manufacturing electric somewhere or conducting R&D to that end. BMW Manufacturing in Greer has a production line for batteries on site. Spartanburg County’s next automaker, Oshkosh Defense, will make a mix of gas and electric vehicles for the U.S. Postal Service; a company called Arrival, based in Charlotte, is building an electric vehicle plant in York County; and the electric city buses made by Proterra are partially assembled in Greenville.

The consortium will conduct evidence-based research studies to investigate integration of virtual and augmented reality systems to support electric vehicle manufacturing and education, the news release said. The digital learning tools will be based on industry needs and be available at EducateWorkforce.com.

Trident Technical College is working in partnership with Greenville Technical College, Spartanburg Community College and Clemson University as part of the consortium. Several workforce development centers and industry partners are also involved.

One of the main goals is to strengthen learning and retention among students from rural areas, veterans and students who are from groups underrepresented in the workforce. Digital learning systems are especially attractive for nontraditional students,

researchers said.

Industry partners are BMW, Michelin, Bosch, Daimler, Proterra and Volvo.

National Science Foundation consortia members are: Indian River Community College, the National Cybersecurity Training & Education Center, the National Center for Autonomous Technologies, the Center for Advanced Automotive Technology, the Northwest Engineering Vehicle Technology Exchange, the S.C. Technical College System, Upstate SC Alliance and the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

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Mary Thornley, president of Trident Technical College, said REVVED addresses a critical need in South Carolina and across the country.

“Our country has an unprecedented need — the need for a new generation of talent to respond to international competition for an automotive workforce with up-to-date skill sets required for the manufacturing and servicing of electric and autonomous vehicles,” Thornley said in the release. “We are excited to work with strong partners to create that talent to ensure state and national competi-

tiveness.”

Jim Clements, president of Clemson University, said the grant will provide important support to the automotive workforce.

“We are excited to be part of this collaboration to create the next generation of innovation and talent for the electric vehicle industry,” he said. “Clemson has a rich history of working with technical colleges and industry. It’s in our DNA. These efforts

Ingevity Corp. of North Charleston in early August bought two companies in a $325 million cash transaction and invested $60 million to acquire an equity stake in another. In addition, Ingevity announced record net sales of $419.9 million in its second-quarter report. Ingevity bought Ozark Materials LLC and Ozark Logistics LLC in the $325 million deal. In the $60 million investment, Ingevity acquired an equity stake in Nexeon Limited.

Nexeon says the investment will allow it to accelerate the expansion of its manufacturing capabilities.

(Photo/Nexeon)

Clemson students work on developing technology for the future electric vehicle fleet. (Photo/Clemson University)

Demand, prices, delays escalate for SC air travel

By Molly Hulsey

Travelers disappeared from airports in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic changed the world. Leisure travelers began a steady return in 2021 but business travelers remained grounded.

Now travel is back at levels sufficient to drive up ticket prices and create long lines while airlines add new routes to more places. Even business travelers are showing signs of getting out there again.

As far as all traffic goes at the Charleston International Airport, recovery in a city synonymous with Southeastern tourism had 706,349 more enplanements and deplanements between

January and April than the year before.

That’s 66,116 more passengers than during the same period in 2019 and a recovery reflected throughout the state.

Starting on June 23, Breeze Airways will operate daily nonstop flights from Charleston to Orlando and back. On June 28, the airline will launch a daily direct flight from New York City’s Westchester County airport, while Sun Country Airlines introduced a nonstop flight to Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport on Thursdays and Sundays in April.

“We are pleased to add Breeze Airways new daily nonstop service to Westchester Airport

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to our roster of direct flights,” Elliott Summey, Charleston International Airport executive director and CEO, said in a news release. “With tremendous demand to get to the New York area and Connecticut, we believe daily nonstop to White Plains will be a home run for the Charleston region.”

Direct Breeze Airways flights to San Francisco and Las Vegas, as well as flights to Syracuse, N.Y., and Fort Myers, Fla., were also added to Charleston’s lineup of at least 13 additional routes added since the beginning of 2020.

Columbia Metropolitan Airport witnessed

an 85.9% year-over-year increase in passenger traffic in February, with close to 90,000 more passengers throughout January to March 2022 than during the same period in 2021, according to the airport.

“We are seeing both personal and the long-awaited business travel return in great volumes — which is welcomed,” Mike Gula, executive director of the airport, said in a statement. “We are not back to pre-pandemic numbers due to the air travel halt COVID-19 brought to airports around the world, but we have far surpassed early projections.” CRBJ

Gehl Foods LLC, a food and manufacturing company, set up shop in Walterboro where they made products found on grocery shelves. The company’s $46 million investment in the Colleton County town will create 106 jobs when operations are at full capacity. They make dairy-based and dairy alternative shelf-stable beverages, cheese sauces, soups, broths, teas, wine and spirits and other products at 181 Crescent Way.

Gehl Foods LLC’s main facilities are in Wisconsin.

Travelers arrive at Charleston International Airport. The Charleston Aviation Authority expects the 2022 fiscal year to be the airport’s best. (Photo/File)

(Photo/Gehl Foods)

Walmart Import Distribution Center opens in Ridgeville

By Alexandria Ng

As South Carolina’s economy continues to boom, Walmart has officially opened its Import Distribution Center in Dorchester County, marking the company’s seventh facility of this type in the nation.

This long-awaited Ridgeville center is expected to increase local port volumes by about 5% once fully functional.

Elected officials and Walmart associates gathered on the morning of April 22 to celebrate the occasion, with leaders such as Gov. Henry McMaster and S.C. Ports President and CEO Jim Newsome in attendance.

Also presenting at the event were Mike Gray, senior vice president of Walmart’s sup-

ply chain operations; Jeff Holzbauer, general manager of the Walmart Import Distribution Center; John Furner, president and CEO of Walmart U.S., who spoke via video.

“Our team of more than 980 associates from Dorchester County and the surrounding communities are excited to officially open the doors to our new Import Distribution Center,” Holzbauer said at the event.

“South Carolina is home to some of the country’s most convenient and efficient modes of transportation, including the Port of Charleston and Interstates 26 and 95. Being a member of this community means having the advantage of the region’s existing infrastruc-

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ture, as well as a pool of experienced associates familiar with it. Cutting this ribbon today signifies our commitment to that community.”

This highly anticipated $220 million Import Distribution Center is located at 1030 Timothy Creek Road. With 3 million square feet, equivalent to 52 football fields, the facility will become Walmart’s first Import Distribution Center in the state of South Carolina to leverage the port.

Walmart officials said the center’s Dorchester County location was chosen because of its business friendly environment and proximity to the deepwater Port of Charleston. This will allow the regional distribution center to store

and sort imported goods that arrive at the port — the eighth-largest in the country — for delivery to about 850 Walmart and Sam’s Club stores across the state, as well as the Southeast.

According to Holzbauer, this new facility is well on its way to surpassing its initial hiring goals of 1,000 people. With help from the S.C. Department of Commerce, it’s expected that more than 1,300 local, full-time associates in total will be brought on to staff the center.

Walmart serves customers at 122 retail units and online in South Carolina. The company employs more than 35,000 associates across the state and spent $1.6 billion with South Carolina suppliers in fiscal year 2021. CRBJ

Sweet Grass Vodka, a family-owned spirits and distilling company, established front-door

with a new location open to the public. Located at 1640 Meeting St. in Charleston, Sweet Grass Vodka’s new

is its first operation in Charleston County and its second location in South Carolina, the other being a distillery and warehouse near Spartanburg. The Charleston facility will be a bottling plant with a tasting room for spirits and small bites.

Jarrod and Alicia Swanger tapped into her Polish heritage and a family potato vodka recipe as they developed Sweet Grass Vodka. (Photo/Provided)

operations in Charleston

facility

Walmart associates, S.C. business leaders and elected officials gathered on April 22 to celebrate the grand opening of the Ridgeville Import Distribution Center in Dorchester County. (Photo/Provided)

Swiss company makes $90M commitment to North Charleston

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

SHL Medical, a provider of drug delivery solutions, is establishing operations in Charleston County with an initial investment of $90 million that will create an estimated 165 new jobs.

Headquartered in Switzerland, SHL Medical designs, develops and manufactures drug delivery solutions for pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies around the world. The company creates autoinjectors, pen injectors and specialty delivery solutions that allow patients to self-inject at home, according to a news release from Charleston County Economic Development.

The company also offers contract manufacturing and engineering services for products such as wafer testing equipment,

laboratory handling equipment, neurosurgical devices and industrial equipment.

“I am delighted to announce SHL’s expansion into South Carolina,” SHL Medical Chairman and CEO Ulrich Faessler said in the release. “Our new U.S. site in North Charleston will be a state-of-the-art facility that will support our customers further with our end-to-end capabilities, providing high-quality drug delivery systems to the end users — patients around the world. This new facility brings us closer to our customers and reduces the risk of supply chain disturbances. Furthermore, it will support our sustainability goals by lessening global shipping distances. I want to acknowledge the support that we have received from the state and county levels for

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this project.”

The company said the expansion at 7791 Palmetto Commerce Parkway in North Charleston will enable SHL Medical to meet growing demand.

“As a globally respected designer and manufacturer of drug delivery services, SHL Medical is a tremendous addition to South Carolina’s booming life sciences ecosystem,” S.C. Biotechnology Industry Organization CEO James Chappell said in the release. “Our state’s strong relations with Switzerland will be further enhanced with SHL’s decision to grow and expand their North American markets from South Carolina.”

Operations are expected to launch by the second quarter of 2024. Jobs will be posted on

the company’s website.

“We are proud to welcome SHL Medical to our robust and growing life science sector in the city of North Charleston,” North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey said in the release.  “With the establishment in our region and tremendous job creation, our highly capable, local workforce is well equipped to fulfill the company’s global mission. We affirm our commitment to SHL Medical and look forward to future growth and success.”

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development has approved job development credits related to this project, the release said. The council also awarded a $250,000 SetAside grant to Charleston County to assist with costs related to the project.  CRBJ

Dr. Terry Steyer was named dean and vice president of medical affairs after MUSC conducted a national search.

(Photo/MUSC)

The Medical University of South Carolina named Dr. Terrence E. “Terry” Steyer, MUSC Department of Family Medicine chair, as the new dean and vice president of medical affairs for the College of Medicine. Steyer has served as interim dean of the college since April. Steyer earned his bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Allegheny College and his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University.

Operations at the Swiss-owned SHL Medical facility are expected to launch during the first half of 2024. (Photo/Provided)

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Charles S. Carmody, CCIM CBRE, Inc. 843-577-1155 charles.carmody@cbre.com

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Mayors: Life sciences key to economic growth

By Jenny Peterson

Charleston-area mayors have their eyes on bringing more life sciences industry to spur economic development.

At an Aug. 23 Power Breakfast to discuss regional resilience at the North Charleston Business Expo, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg and Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib both said their ideal future is new opportunities in life sciences, biotech and software engineering.

“A hospitality job’s average pay is $25,000 a year for restaurant worker; members of our Charleston digital corridor say the average salary is over $100,000,” Tecklenburg said at the event, which was hosted by the Charleston Regional Business Journal. “That’s why it’s so important for this region—even though we have all the accolades for tourism — is to focus on innovation, technology via software engi-

neering or life sciences.”

Tecklenburg said in the last two years, the city added 500 jobs in the life sciences industry. The city’s Technology Center, an incubator and co-working space for companies in the life sciences industry, has grown jobs and industry.

“The future for job opportunities is life science technology; we have such as asset here,” Tecklenburg said.

Goose Creek Mayor Greg Habib said his city is also looking at bringing in companies in the life sciences market, with an overarching goal to keep residents working and living in the area.

“Technical professionals are very at home in Goose Creek; that’s what I find most of our city to be,” Habib said. “Goose Creek grew during COVID. We opened new businesses

during the pandemic. If you recognize that growth is inevitable, the best was to do that is through economic development.”

He said attracting quality businesses will lessen traffic woes. “Fifteen thousand people leave Goose Creek to go to work; let’s make that 14,000 (people); identifying opportunities to keep some of those 15,000 people in (the area) in life sciences is a very big possibility for us.”

As for improving quality of life in their specific areas, many of the issues the mayors discussed overlap — including traffic woes and continuing to provide affordable housing for residents who work in the hospitality industry and in city services.

“Just in the City of Charleston, by the end of 2030, we’d need 16,315 units of affordable housing,” said Tecklenburg.

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey said the city is still feeling a post-COVID deficit in city employees and acknowledges that prices have increased across the board for maintenance and other city costs. He also called out the state department of transportation for not completing needed road improvements.

Summey noted the influx of young professionals who are moving to the Park Circle area and said the city’s focus is continuing to provide a quality of life for them to live, work and play in the area while looking at the area from a regional perspective.

“We don’t need to look at each other as competition, but people who are working together to grow this community as a whole,” Summey said. CRBJ

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South Street Partners, a private equity real estate investment firm that considers both Charlotte and Charleston its headquarters, closed its inaugural discretionary commingled fund, which raised more than $225 million, easily exceeding an original target of $100 million. The fund was formed to continue South Street’s strategy of executing on investment opportunities in real estate assets located in the Southeast and other select U.S. and international markets, the company said.

Palmetto Bluff was one of South Street Partners’ investments. (Photo/South Street Partners)

Mayors Greg Habib of Goose Creek, Keith Summey of North Charleston and John Tecklenburg of Charleston talked about opportunities in the life science industry. (Photo/Jessica Yurinko)

College of Charleston establishes health sciences school

By Teri Errico Griffis

Health care employment is expected to grow by 16% between 2020 and 2030, faster than the average of all other occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The growth would add 2.6 million health care jobs nationwide, with 30,000 needed in South Carolina alone.

To meet demand for qualified workers not only in the region but nationwide, College of Charleston has established a School of Health Sciences.

“Most health care professions require a graduate degree, and thus undergraduate programs throughout the state serve as an essential pipeline to the graduate professional programs at MUSC,” said Dr. Zoher Kapasi,

dean of the College of Health Professions at the Medical University of South Carolina.

Kapasi and College of Charleston President Andrew T. Hsu joined Suzanne Austin, the college’s executive vice president for academic affairs and provost, and David Ginn, Charleston Regional Development Alliance president and CEO, at an on-site announcement Jan. 27.

“The pandemic has certainly reinforced the notion that for human society to operate at optimal levels, we need more and more of our top minds working to improve human health,” Hsu said. “I’m pleased that the College of Charleston is taking this important step to create a new school of health sciences so that we as

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a state and as a society may be better-positioned and better-resourced to address future public health challenges.”

The new school will open in the fall and will provide CofC the opportunity to engage not only with other medical programs, but with local companies, businesses and economy, Hsu said.

Initial discussion of the program began in the last year as the pandemic highlighted the importance of continuing to make advancements to human health and training the next generation of health scientists and practitioners, Austin said.

“The future of higher education is and always has been about developing and deliv-

ering academic programs that enrich and improve the lives of students and society,” she said. “The college’s new School of Health Sciences will do just that by offering health science programs designed to prepare our students for careers that will improve human health.”

As the school strives to become a national university renowned for its liberal arts innovations, a health sciences program fulfills several strategic goals regarding student success, academic distinction, innovation and strategic partnerships, Austin said. In particular, the school will allow CofC even more opportunities to collaborate with MUSC to create a pipeline of students into MUSC’s academic and research programs.

Jim Newsome, last year inducted into the International Maritime Hall of Fame, receives the Order of the Palmetto from Gov. Henry McMaster. (Photo/Provided)

Gov. Henry McMaster honored retiring S.C. Ports President and CEO Jim Newsome with the Order of the Palmetto in June. The Order of the Palmetto is the highest civilian honor in South Carolina, recognizing the recipient’s lifetime achievements and significant contributions made to the state. Newsome was recognized for leading the ports through a time of growth and change before turning the reins over to his COO, Barbara Melvin.

College of Charleston Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Suzanne and President Andrew T. Hsu stood before faculty and community members Jan. 27 as they announced CofC’s new School of Health Sciences.

Investors buy Hoopstick Island in $7.5M development deal

By Teri Errico Griffis

William Means Real Estate started 2022 with the $7.5 million sale of Hoopstick Island, a 55-acre private spot off of Johns Island.

The natural refuge, which has more than a mile of waterfront set along Bohicket Creek, is primed for development and zoned for 10 deep-water estate lots, a process the previous owner set in motion upon buying the land in 2014, said Lyles Geer, William Means president and broker-in-charge. Geer was the listing agent for the island’s sale.

“(The sellers) bought it as an investment property,” Geer said of the investment group out of Atlanta. “They set up the infrastructure

for it to be developed by somebody else. They never intended to develop it themselves.”

Though the property has been on the market for a while, the sudden, increasing demand for Charleston property, deep-water lots in particular, spurred an outpouring of interest as of late.

“I think it all has to do with the simple lack of inventory and realizing the opportunity for creating luxury high-end homes here,” Geer said. “They’re not making any more islands in Charleston. This is a special property, and I think (the buyer) saw the value in it because there’s really nothing else remaining like it or of its kind this close to Charleston.”

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Plans for the property include 10 estate homes on five- to seven-acre lots that fit in with the Lowcountry lifestyle, Cassina Group founding partner and broker-in-charge Robertson Allen said. Allen represented the buyer.

Allen and colleague Charles Macintosh worked for a year to fine tune the details to close the sale with the buyer, Carbon Properties, a developer out of Charlotte.

“There was raising some money, running all sorts of different scenarios, highest and best use, that type of thing,” Allen said. “But it finally came to fruition, and we’re extremely excited.”

The development will be in line with what the neighboring communities like Wadmalaw and Bohicket Road are all about, he said. Eight of the sites will be deep-water with short docks. The remaining two properties will be built along the tidal creek with longer docks. Homes will start north of 4,000 square feet each.

“True deep-water access is not available and the demand is so high that we feel like we’re stepping into this at a very opportune time,” he said.

Allen fully anticipates going vertical as soon as possible with completion around spring 2023. CRBJ

Hoopstick Island is reachable by an access road off Bohicket Road. (Photo/Keen Eye Marketing)

North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey and the City Council broke ground on the redevelopment of the interior of Park Circle in June. Park Circle is being reimagined to fit the community’s modern needs. The $20 million project will redevelop the entirety of the inner circle and include a new community building with theater and meeting rooms, the largest inclusive playground in the Southeast, an inclusive baseball field, performance and event space, nature garden, open green space and walking trails.

North Charleston breaks ground Wednesday on a new vision for Park Circle. (Rendering/Provided)

make a difference in achieving high-quality outcomes for 21st-century challenges and opportunities.”

Tim Hardee, president of the S.C. Technical College System, said he supports the collaboration.

“This is a great example of how Clemson University, an R1 research institution, partners with technical colleges and industry to support workforce preparedness for the betterment of all South Carolina,” he said in the release.

Clemson’s relationship with technical colleges includes Greenville Tech’s Center for Manufacturing Innovation, located on the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research.

Keith Miller, president of Greenville Technical College, said the grant provides new opportunities to ensure the future workforce is equipped with relevant skills as the industry transitions from internal-combustion engine to electric vehicles.

“The Greenville Technical College team comes to this project with extensive experience in curriculum design, implementation of online courses and recruitment of underserved and underrepresented students,” Miller said in the release.

Michael Mikota, president of Spartanburg Community College, said consultation with industry will be crucial to REVVED.

“Our team will utilize our unique connections with industry leaders to provide guidance for the creation of educational modules, provide feedback on effectiveness and ensure we are creating the most competitive workforce,” Mikota said. “The talent, experience and passion in this consortium uniquely position us for success.”

The consortium faculty team consists of Robert Elliott, dean of manufacturing and maintenance, and Walter Varella, coordinator of the automotive technology program at Trident Technical College; Trent Hulehan, department head of the automotive technology program at Greenville Technical College; Joe Santaniello, the academic pro-

gram director of computer and engineering technology at Spartanburg Community College; and Kapil Chalil Madathil, the Wilfred P. Tiencken Associate Professor of Industrial and Civil Engineering at Clemson. The Clemson University Center for Workforce Development is leading the initiative within Clemson University. CRBJ

Redwood Materials to build $3.5B operation near Summerville

By Christina Lee Knauss

Redwood Materials, a producer of anode and cathode battery components, will invest $3.5 billion to establish operations in Berkeley County, the largest economic development announcement in South Carolina history. The investment announced Wednesday will create 1,500 new jobs.

“Redwood Materials’ record-breaking announcement shows that our state’s strategic plan to remain a top destination for automobile manufacturers and their suppliers as the industry innovates is working,” said Gov. Henry McMaster. “This is a transformative accomplishment.”

Redwood Materials, headquartered in Carson City, Nev., was founded by Tesla’s former chief technology officer and co-founder,

JB Straubel. Its South Carolina campus will be used to create a circular supply chain for electric vehicles, according to a news release. The company will onshore production of the anodes and cathodes for batteries to drive down costs and emissions. All battery components will be built from as much recycled material as possible, the company said.

McMaster and Straubel were joined by area and state leaders Dec. 14 at a special event to announce the new facility at the Camp Hall Commerce Park in Ridgeville where Redwood’s new “Carolina campus” will be located on more than 600 acres.

Straubel said he and other Redwood officials first started looking at the Berkeley County site a year ago, and noted several

things that came together to convince them that the Charleston area was the right place to put the new facility. He said Berkeley County is in the middle of a multi-state area that experts in the field are calling the “battery belt” because so many new facilities for EV battery manufacturing are being built here.

“South Carolina’s commitment to creating a secure energy future and a competitive landscape for electric vehicle manufacturing, supported by a world-class workforce, fast and efficient logistics, zero-carbon electricity and a phenomenal site made it a smart decision for Redwood to invest here,” Straubel said.

The Redwood founder said he first got interested in the intricate process of building

EV batteries during his time at Tesla. He stressed the importance of facilities like the Berkeley County one as the need for batteries grows.

“At Tesla, I had a front row seat to the challenges and opportunities we’re facing as the world electrifies,” he told the crowd. “It is going to be critical to be able to deal with supply chain bottlenecks, and that’s what we’re going to be doing here. We want to develop a fully closed loop supply chain here where we will be transforming batteries from other kinds of technology into a form that can be used again.”

The first recycling processes should be up and running by the end of 2023, Straubel said. CRBJ

First Capital Bank accrued so much interest in South Carolina that the company moved its headquarters from North Carolina to 304 Meeting St. in Charleston at the first of the year when it converted from a North Carolina state-chartered bank to a South Carolina state-chartered bank. The conversion will have no impact on the bank’s customers, the company said.

When the bank moved its headquarters, it had five branches and one loan production office in the Carolinas, including new locations in Mount Pleasant and Summerville. (Photo/File)

Redwood Materials’ a South Carolina campus will be used to create a circular supply chain for electric vehicles. (Rendering/Redwood Materials)

quality standards.”

Acting FAA Administrator Billy Nolen met with FAA safety inspectors in South Carolina on Aug. 4 to hear whether they were satisfied with the actions Boeing has taken since deliveries ground to a halt in 2021 as the company and agency addressed safety concerns over tiny gaps, about the width of a human hair, found between sections of the fuselage.

The FAA greenlight was announced four days later, Aug. 8.

“Today we resumed 787 deliveries as American Airlines received a 787-8,” Deal said in his message to employees. “This milestone would not be possible without the hard work, dedication and perseverance of so many of you. Thank you for how you’ve demonstrated our shared values throughout this process.”

He went on to say: “Let’s reflect on our values and commitments to our customers, regulator and

the flying public. Every action and decision influences our customers’ trust in Boeing — we build trust one airplane at a time. … Resuming deliveries is a beginning. I look forward to many more as we continue to focus on safety, quality and stability.”

Boeing continued producing the planes while deliveries were suspended. The company has maintained that none of the issues were an immediate safety-of-flight concern for the in-service fleet.

The 787 was the most-utilized widebody through the pandemic due to its fuel-effi-

ciency and versatility, the company said. Several airlines used the 787 for cargo-only flights.

Robert Isom, CEO and chief recruitment officer at American Airlines, acknowledged receipt of the plane on his Instagram account, saying it was the first 787-7 received since April 2021 but the first of nine the airline expects to receive this year. CRBJ

Reach Ross Norton at 864-720-1222.

BOEING Continued from PAGE 4

United Airlines orders 100 Boeings, options 100 more

By Jenny Peterson

Contributing Writer

United Airlines has ordered 100 new Boeing 787 Dreamliners in a contract with an option to add 100 more — the largest widebody aircraft order by a U.S. carrier in commercial aviation history, according to the company.

This order will bring United Airlines total aircraft to roughly 700 new narrow and widebody passenger aircraft by 2032 to support its global fleet.

“Boeing is our largest exporter (with) high tech manufacturing jobs — the very kinds of jobs we are working hard to repatriate to the United States,” said Scott Kirby, chief executive officer at United Airlines.

Approximately 100 planes in the widebody order are expected to replace older Boeing 767 and Boeing 777 aircraft, with all 767 aircraft removed from the United fleet by 2030.

United also exercised options to purchase 44 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for delivery between 2024 and 2026. It ordered 56 more MAX aircraft for delivery between 2027 and 2028.

United expects to take delivery of the new widebody planes between 2024 and 2032 and can choose among the 787-8, -9 or -10 models, providing flexibility to support a wide range of routes.

Boeing’s Dreamliner program is based in North Charleston, which is one of two final assembly locations for the 787-8, -9 and -10.

Executives said the order will support United Airlines’ move in expanding its global fleet and adding more international flights, in line with the company’s United Next plan.

In the last two years, United added 13 new international destinations, 40 new international routes and extra trips to 10 existing

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international routes.

The Boeing 787 Dreamliner promises a premium flight experience. More than 90% of the United Airlines international widebody planes already feature the United Polaris business class seat and big seats that turn into beds along with luxury blankets and pillows.

The new planes will be more fuel efficient with an expected 25% decrease in carbon emissions per seat for the new planes compared to the older planes they are expected to replace. Kirby noted that supply chain issues have improved in the last six months, giving executives confidence that the Dreamliners will be delivered on or close to schedule.

“While the supply chain is challenged at both Boeing and Airbus — and we’re already a little bit behind on aircraft deliveries this year — we’re going to take delivery of an awful lot

of airplanes in the next few years, even if some of them get pushed to the right a little bit,” said Kirby. “We’ve already taken into account some expected delays.”

The order is expected to lead to increased hiring at United Airlines. The Chicago-based company hired 15,000 people in 2022 and is on track to add another 15,000 next year.

The airline hired about 2,400 pilots and plans to add more than 2,500 pilots in 2023, with a goal to add 10,000 pilots in the next decade. United will hire more than 18,000 new flight attendants in the coming years with more than 4,000 expected to join the team in 2023.

More details about the United Airlines-Boeing announcement will be available later today following a media tour of Boeing South Carolina. CRBJ

Striped Pig Distillery LLC will expand operations in Charleston County, investing $10 million and creating more than 50 new jobs. Claiming the title of Charleston’s first distillery since Prohibition, Striped Pig Distillery specializes in crafting Southern-style spirits, including bourbon gin, rum, organic vodka and flavored iterations of each. The company sources ingredients for its award-winning spirits regionally and works with local organizations to give back to community causes through its Sip & Share program.

Striped Pig Distillery says the expansion will create at least 50 new jobs. (Photo/Striped Pig)

United Airlines will buy at least 100 of the North Charleston-based Boeing Dreamliners with deliveries starting in 2024. (Photo/File)