Columbia Regional Business Report - October 24, 2022

Eatery infusion

Major milestones

Maker spotlight

deal

Building for future

Vista’s newest hotel officially open for business

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

One of the Midlands’ newest hotels is now officially open for business.

Cambria Hotel Columbia Downtown The Vista held its grand opening event Oct. 12, offering attendees a view of the new 144-room, four-story upscale hotel at 1000 Lady St.

Cambria Hotels is a brand franchised by Choice Hotels International Inc. There are six other Cambrias in South Carolina — in Greenville, Fort Mill, Charleston, Mount Pleasant, Summerville and Rock Hill — and 60 nationwide.

The Cambria in the Vista opened to guests in June, but the grand opening offered a chance for Choice Hotels officials as well as city and state representatives to celebrate the new addition to the city’s hospitality offerings.

“Cambria is our newest brand, and we’re trying to offer an upscale space for the modern traveler,” said Janice Cannon, Choice Hotels’ senior vice president for upscale brands. “We’re trying to cater to that traveler who is also design-literate and looking for something unique and different in a hotel.”

Also in attendance was Mark O’Neil, executive vice president of operations for Pyramid Hotel Group, the hotel’s management company.

Each Cambria property’s design centers around a concept rooted in the history, lifestyle or culture of the hotel’s location, Cannon said. For the Columbia site, designers focused on Columbia’s history as a textile mill hub, with mills formerly clustered around the Gervais and Assembly street areas that border the Vista district, among other areas.

Knox

Knox Photography)

Upfront

Residential building permits surge to more than $8.4 billion in SC

SouthCarolina building permits for 2022 are on track to far exceed the value recorded for the past five years, an analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows.

As of August, South Carolina had posted building permits for single-family housing and multifamily housing for more than $8.4 billion for the year. With several months left in 2022, that amount is just under $2.7 billion of the value for all of 2021.

Even though increased interest rates have tempered demand and impacted prices, like most of the country, South Carolina can’t build homes fast enough. In 2021, the value of housing permits across all categories rose 21.8% from the previous year, topping a nearly 20% increase from 2019.

Data show South Carolina building permits for residential housing is in the top four in the Southeast for value and for single-family homes, the largest building category. Only Florida, North Carolina and Georgia saw more permits and higher-values for building permits for residential housing from January to August, the data show.

A bounce from the COVID-19 pandemic likely caused some of the surge from 2017-2019, as more people decided to move to less populated states, including the Southeast, where housing has generally been more a ordable. Places like Charleston and Greenville have seen an influx of residents from several areas of the country even before the pandemic.

*Permits for structures with five units or more in an apartment complex or other multi-family building

SC residential building permits over 5 years

+43%

“The

from

— Mark Hood, president, Hood Construction

SC

News Briefs

New

coming to

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

location

The former site of the iconic Yesterdays Restaurant and Tavern in Five Points will soon have a new tenant.

The building at the corner of Devine and Harden streets will be the new home of Ruby Sunshine, a New Orleans-based chain that specializes in brunch and has locations throughout the Southeast, including Charleston.

“Ruby Sunshine Columbia plans to open at 2030 Devine St. in Five Points and is targeting a summer 2023 opening,” the company said in a statement sent to SC Biz News on Oct. 18.

Ruby Sunshine is run by the same owners who started the Ruby Slipper Café in New Orleans, which has since expanded to 19 locations around the Southeast.

The restaurant’s menu offers a wide range of breakfast and brunch options, including French toast, eggs Benedict, shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, omelets, pancakes, sandwiches and salads. Ruby Sunshine also has a drink menu that includes mimosa, Bloody Mary’s, and margaritas.

Ruby Sunshine will bring activity back to the empty building that for years was home to Yesterdays, famed for its down-home atmosphere, Southern cuisine and outdoor statue of a cowboy in a full-sized bathtub.

Yesterdays opened in 1978, owned by brothers Duncan MacRea and Scottie MacRea and their business partner Darrell Barnes. The three closed the restaurant in 2020, ending a 43-year run that made it one of the most popular dining spots and hangouts in Five Points. The restaurant frequently attracted well-known Columbia and South Carolina celebrities ranging from Darius Rucker of Hootie and the Blowfish to the late novelist Pat Conroy.

Officials from Ruby Sunshine said more details about the restaurant’s opening in Columbia will be coming soon.

Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.

With publications in the Upstate, Columbia and Charleston, as well as a statewide magazine, SC Biz News covers the pulse of business across South Carolina. Above are excerpts from our other publications.

New Orleans-based Ruby Sunshine is planning to open in the former Yesterdays. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

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New development bringing two eateries to Devine Street

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By Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

Anew

development is adding two businesses to Devine Street.

The Green at Devine District, a project of Columbia-based Estates & Companies, will feature the first Midlands location of Greenville-based sandwich shop Sully’s Steamers and the third Columbia location of locally owned bakery Ally & Eloise Bakeshop.

“Devine Street is Columbia’s premiere boutique commercial district, as it is nestled between three of Columbia’s oldest residential neighborhoods and hosts a unique blend of shopping, dining, office, and living opportunities,” Matt Mundy of Estates & Companies, the developer of upscale area condominiums Devine District, Trolley and 700 Woodrow, said in a news release. “It’s an honor to be able to call this community home while also bringing more locally owned businesses to continue its legacy.”

The Green, to be located at 2835 Devine St., will also provide an outdoor dining and entertainment area, according to the release. Renderings from McKenzie Architecture

show the bakery and attached sandwich shop facing Devine Street.

“It’s important to design communities to bring people together by way of walkways, gathering places, amenities, and more to foster spontaneous encounters to create foundations for relationships among those who live, work, and play in the greater community,” Mundy said. “These relationships help to promote a greater connection to build shared interests and find common values, complimenting the wonderful ambiance of Devine Street.”

Ally & Eloise owner Aleka Selig opened her first bakery on Forest Drive in April 2012 and her second on Main Street in 2016. Selig said she has always wanted a location on Devine Street.

“I think the street has such a neighborhood feel of it because it’s walkable, and it’s also a center location close to Five Points, Shandon and Melrose Heights,” Selig told SC Biz News. “It’s just an appealing place to be and we’re really looking forward to it.”

Selig said she does not know when construction will begin on the new location.

According to Ally & Eloise’s website, the Forest Acres location is open from 10 a.m.

until 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday. The Main Street location is listed as open from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.

Sully’s Steamers, owned by Michael and Brittany Stuckey of Southern Way Catering, originated in Greenville and also has locations in Spartanburg, Clemson and Brevard, N.C. It features a variety of steamed bagel sandwiches for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

“We had the pleasure of eating at Sully’s downtown Greenville location a few years ago and fell in love with the food and the concept,” Michael Stuckey said. “The staff was friendly, the service was quick, and the food was delicious. Both of us have been in the hospitality industry for many years and have wanted to open a restaurant here in Columbia. When we started conversations with Robert Sullivan, the franchisor, our business values and practice aligned, and we knew we wanted to be part of the Sully’s team.”

Columbia commercial real estate firm Wilson Kibler provided brokerage services for Sully’s Steamers.

Christina Lee Knauss contributed to this report.

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The Green at Devine District will add a bakery and a sandwich shop to Devine Street. (Rendering/Provided)

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October spotlights manufacturing’s importance to SC

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

The impact of manufacturing on South Carolina’s economy is being celebrated throughout the month of October.

National and state leaders, community members, students from three Midlands schools, teachers and representatives from the manufacturing sector gathered at the Nephron Nitrile plant in West Columbia to celebrate National Manufacturing Day, observed this year on Oct. 7. The national observance is meant to honor manufacturers and also promote the growing importance of the sector to daily life and well-being of all Americans.

The impact of manufacturing in South Carolina is documented in a 2021 economic impact study from SC Future Makers, a nonprofit education and workforce organization affiliated with the S.C. Manufacturers Alliance. The study found that manufacturing’s annual economic impact in the state is between $194 billion and $206 billion, and 16% of the state’s GDP is associated with manufacturing. Since 2017, the state has announced more than 45,000 new jobs and $16 billion in manufacturing capital investments.

Other findings show that manufacturing supports 30% of all jobs statewide either directly or indirectly and pays an

annual salary 33% higher than the state’s average wage.

The aerospace, automotive and tire sectors and their extended supply chains dominate S.C. manufacturing, and all three experienced growth at a collective rate of more than three times the state average over the past decade, the study found.

“We’re proud of the impact manufacturing has in South Carolina,” said Sara Hazzard, president and CEO of the SCMA. “The industry drives innovation, creates economic prosperity and fosters community engagement that benefits all citizens.”

The Manufacturing Day event at Nephron Nitrile offered students the chance to get a hands-on experience of working

in manufacturing through the second visit of the Creators Wanted workforce development exhibition, a touring exhibit sponsored by the National Association of Manufacturers and its education partner The Manufacturing Institute.

The exhibit is a specially designed RV with interactive exhibits that teams of students use to solve a series of problems similar to what manufacturing workers might have to deal with on a daily basis.

U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn attended the event and spoke to attendees about the national manufacturing boom and resulting efforts to boost industry.

“We’re doing what we can in Washington to keep the private sector strong, and we also need to do what we can to prepare a future for these young people we have

with us here today,” Clyburn said. “I’d also ask the young people to consider manufacturing as a career and to realize that we all need each other. Whatever you decide to do, do your part and work to be the best you can be in that career.”

Officials said about 700 students at 16 S.C. schools visited the exhibit this year. Students from Airport High School in West Columbia, Lower Richland High School in Columbia, Seven Oaks Elementary in Columbia and schools from Orangeburg County visited the exhibit Oct. 7.

Speakers cited statistics that show the importance of getting more young people interested in manufacturing. Carolyn Lee, president and CEO of The Manufacturing Institute, said that even though manufacturing employs more people than it has since 2008, studies show that there are currently 800,000 open jobs in manufacturing statewide, and four million additional manufacturing jobs will be needed by the end of the decade.

Jay Timmons, CEO of the National Institute of Manufacturers, said the key to getting students more interested in manufacturing is to help them realize that the field not only pays well but also involves rewarding work. “Being a creator means producing things that not only help people and change lives but can change human history,” Timmons said.

Exp e ri e nce ed d

A Nephron Nitrile representative explains how the plant makes nitrile gloves. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

NAIColumbia.com

Columbia’s

Our “Coffee With…” page features an Upstate business executive sharing insights about their business, the industry in which they work and the community in which they live. Where’s the coffee, you ask? Well, that occurs in an accompanying video. We sit down with the executive –over coffee – to see what else is on their mind.

Floor. Focused on our best work and headed in an exciting direction.

We’ve also made some strategic hires and implemented new corporate initiatives. We couldn’t be more energized about our road ahead.

SO, LET’S EXPAND ON THAT FOR A MOMENT—NEW OFFICES, MORE GROWTH, AND THE EXCITING NEW DIRECTION. TELL US HOW THAT’S DIFFERENT FROM JUST A YEAR AGO.

TELL US MORE ABOUT D|F PLANSCAPE AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO “CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY.” ANY PROJECTS YOU CAN SHARE AS AN EXAMPLE?

Today, we’re “having coffee” with Stephen L. Davis, CEO, Davis & Floyd. You can check out Stephen’s video on SCBIZ TV on YouTube or on one of our two e-newsletters, Morning Blend or GSA Daily (Monday – Friday).

LET’S CATCH UP. WE ENDED LAST YEAR’S TALK WITH SOME NEW THINGS COMING FOR DAVIS & FLOYD? TELL US ABOUT IT.

Yes. So many exciting things have been happening since we last spoke. Our team has been very busy with new projects and we’ve expanded our footprint across the Southeast. A number of those have been along the coast in Beaufort and Charleston. We recently opened a coastal office in Beaufort where we’ve worked for many years on expansive community development projects such as Habersham and other planned neighborhoods. We currently have 28 active projects in Beaufort ranging anywhere from transportation to water and wastewater.

In addition, we just opened our newest office at The Quin in Charleston, SC, and, for the first time, brought our Lowcountry teams together under the same roof. One team. One

Sure. Like most businesses since 2020, we’ve had to make adjustments. Some of those adjustments have been difficult and challenging for sure, but most of them have helped us get back to what we enjoy and do best—building community.

We’ve really spent a lot of time as a team reworking our processes and projects to focus them into three key areas: community development, transportation, and water resources. These are really what we do best and have always been at our core since my father started the company 68 years ago. We truly believe this is what Davis & Floyd is all about.

This has also taken us in a bolder direction in terms of sustainable living and a commitment to conservation. We’re forging new ground in our industry by focusing on dynamic solutions that take advantage of next-level engineering and technology to build sustainable infrastructure for our communities. To accomplish this, we put together an in-house team of specialty engineers and landscape architects for our D|F Planscape division. We really believe this is the future, not just for Davis & Floyd, but for the engineering industry as a whole.

One of the best examples is a project we led in North Charleston called Oak Terrace Preserve. We worked alongside the city to re-envision and redevelop an existing community known as Century Oaks that had existed for years prior, but had some very unique challenges. Through innovative design and engineering, utilizing low impact development (LID) practices, we successfully worked to integrate the landscape throughout the community into a sustainable ecosystem by creating bioswales to retain stormwater runoff from homesites to water the greenery as well as the seven pocket parks also designed for community enjoyment. This community is now a flourishing example of how conservation is key moving forward.

THERE CERTAINLY HAS BEEN A LOT GOING ON FOR YOU. SO, WHAT’S NEXT?

We keep challenging ourselves every day. Our team really has been exceptional at thinking through and developing the solutions that our company is known for. Even now, we’re designing and incorporating cuttingedge technology like our real-time, data-driven watershed management reporting system called LIVEQ™—a first for the industry. This is only one of a number of new and emerging technologies we’re launching at Davis & Floyd. The future is bright and we’re glad we can be a part of forging the path ahead.

Sponsored Content

DAVISFLOYD.COM

Columbia apartment complex purchased in $500M deal

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

An apartment complex off Broad River Road in Columbia will receive extensive upgrades as one of 10 multifamily properties around the Southeast that have been acquired by three real estate firms.

Broad River Trace, located at 551 Riverhill Circle, is part of a $500 million portfolio of multifamily properties acquired by Texas-based RREAF Holdings and Florida-based companies DLP Capital and 3650 REIT, according to a news release.

The portfolio is the trio’s third acquisition in less than a year and includes multifamily properties consisting of more than 2,744 units. Properties in Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Oklahoma are included in the acquisition.

The acquisition is designed to infuse capital into quality rental units at a time when South Carolina and the nation as a whole is experiencing a shortage of affordable options, according to the release.

“The affordable housing crisis pervades every state in the nation, making this multifamily transaction all the more significant,” said Don Wenner, founder and CEO Of DLP Capital. “Through our collaborative investment and our mission to keep these apartments affordable for the local workforce, we will impact hundreds of families who want to live where they work.”

The acquisition was spearheaded by RREAF and purchased from one seller.

All of the apartment complexes are primarily in suburban-metro areas with no new multifamily supply within a five-mile radius of most of the properties, according to the release.

All of the properties were built between 1998 and 2012 and currently have a collective occupancy of 93%.

“The closing of the Southeast Multifamily Portfolio III marks a milestone for our firm for affordable, quality hous-

ing options to renters in the Southeast as RREAF continues our business plan of providing superior living options at an affordable price,” said Kip Sowden, CEO at RREAF Holdings.

In addition to equity capital provided by the three portfolio partners, financing was provided by Nathan Stone and Guy Griffith at Berkadia, a leading national investment sales advisor, mortgage banker and loan servicer with an office in Charleston.

RREAF Residential, the in-house prop-

erty management company at RREAF, will take over property management at all of the sites, including Broad River Trace.

Upgrades to property amenities will include electric vehicle charging stations, dog runs, pickleball courts and business centers with fiber optic cable. Updates to all properties will include pools, tennis courts, outdoor kitchens, entertainment packages, clubhouses and more efficient lighting, the release said.

Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.

Vote eliminates most non-residential parking requirements

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Minimum parking requirements for most non-residential buildings in Columbia are now in the past.

Columbia City Council on Oct. 4 gave second and final reading to an ordinance that will reduce the number of off-street parking spaces required for non-residential buildings.

Council initially approved the

changes with a 5-1 vote in September and the ordinance’s second reading passed with a 6 to 1 vote.

The ordinance will amend city zoning regulations to eliminate minimum parking requirements for nonresidential structures of 7,500 square feet or less. It will also completely eliminate minimum parking requirements for five zoning districts: NAC (neighborhood activity center/corridor district), CAC (community activity center/corridor district), RAC (regional activity

center/corridor district), MU-1 and MU-2 (mixed use).

Supporters of the ordinance say it will reduce cost burdens on new and existing businesses, reduce blights on the landscape in the shape of large parking lots in bad condition, and encourage more bicycling and walking within the city limits.

Reducing parking requirements is an increasing trend in cities around the country, said Carl Blackstone, president and CEO of the Columbia Chamber of

Commerce.

“This is a good thing because we’re trying to get more commercial development in the business district and we’re trying to change the culture to get more people in the city to walk or ride their bikes, and this helps with both of those things,” Blackstone told SC Biz News. “Mandating parking is very cost-prohibitive for new businesses or businesses that want to expand, and this would really ease the burden for businesses in Columbia.”

COMET interim CEO and executive director Huggins dies

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Derrick Huggins, the interim CEO and executive director of the Central Midlands Regional Transit Authority, passed away unexpectedly Oct. 7, according to a news release from the COMET.

“We are saddened at this very unexpected loss, as so many of just had conversations with him in recent days and were making future plans together,” said Allison Terracio, COMET board chair. “Derrick was not only the CEO of the COMET. He had been a board member and board chair, and we all knew him not only professionally but

also personally. He will be missed.”

Huggins had served as a leader both in the transportation field and in the community, according to the release. He was a long-time COMET board member and served as board chair up to his appointment as interim CEO and executive director in November 2021. He previously served as a transporta-

tion executive with the University of South Carolina.

LeRoy DesChamps, COO of COMET, will assume oversight of the organization as the board of directors works on plans for the future, the release said.

Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.

USC

Broad River Trace at 551 Riverhill Circle in Columbia, is one of 10 properties in the Southeast purchased by a trio of real estate firms. (Photo/RREAF Holdings)

Real estate company launches new Columbia division

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

BerkshireHathaway HomeServices

Midlands Real Estate is launching Raising Columbia SC, a new residential real estate development division. Columbia native Shayla Riley will lead the effort, joining the team as president of new construction sales and development, according to a news release.

Riley will work with Andrea Reynolds, owner and broker of BHHS Midlands Real Estate, to reimagine the framework of urban development through the new division.

“The culmination of my career has led to this incredible opportunity,” Riley said. “Our focus on cultivating community intends to breathe new life into urban residential devel-

opment, and I am thankful for this chance to enhance and give back to the community that raised my entire family and me.”

Raising Columbia SC’s mission is to increase homeownership opportunities in the Columbia area by developing multifamily and single-family residences that prioritize access, density and innovating living experiences to maximize economic impact, the release said. The new division will place an emphasis on encouraging multifamily ownership opportunities in under-utilized and underdeveloped areas.

“There is demand and necessity for vertical developments in Columbia,” Reynolds said. “Our community is ready for more multifamily housing and ownership with access to the great amenities that are here. I am thrilled to have Shayla on our team to

expand BHHS Midlands’ offerings in bringing new and creative developments to the area. Her passion and drive make her a fantastic fit to take charge of this effort.”

Riley has more than 20 years of experience in residential home sales, new construction lease-up management, vertical and multifamily residential development and traditional new home construction sales. She has spearheaded the success of

two downtown residential buildings, Land Bank Lofts and Pulaski Square, and assisted with the conversion and leasing of historic buildings into multifamily housing communities geared toward professionals and students.

She serves on the board of the Contemporaries of the Columbia Museum of Art and is a member of the City of Columbia’s Affordable Housing Task Force and Leadership Columbia 2023.

“Increasing home ownership enhances attachment to the community,” Riley said. “I look forward to passing along my passion for the community to future homebuyers while reimagining what defines a home. A home means more than a single-family structure, and multifamily ownership is the indicator of a progressive city.”

USC athletes can share NIL benefits to nonprofit

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Student athletes at the University of South Carolina will now have the opportunity to lend their name, image and likeness to the support of nonprofit organizations and charities through the Garnet Trust Foundation, founded by the Garnet Trust, a Columbia-based NIL

collective.

“While NIL opportunities have changed the game in many ways for collegiate athletics, we are excited to flip the script by working with student athletes to give back to the incredible organizations and causes that serve our local communities,” said Barry Bodiford, chair of the foundation’s board of directors. “It’s our honor to come alongside impressive charities and nonprofits that

deserve and need more resources and to work with student-athletes who share our heart for giving back to South Carolina.”

Student-athletes who participate in the

and personal development coach at Savvy Skills LLC; Candace Knox, retired from planning and system development at the former Palmetto Health; former USC foot-

Jonathan Pent Business Developer

“The culimination of my career has led to this incredible opportunity.”

Shayla Riley, President of new construction sales and development, Berkshire Hathaway

Behind the front desk, a large colorful piece of art might initially be mistaken for a painting as guests walk by, but closer inspection will reveal it is made of interlocking coils of different colored yarn, meant to pay tribute to the material produced in the city’s mills. The front desk art, “Exposed Threads “was created by Columbia-based artist Susan Lenz.

The textile history is evident in other touches – a wall that looks like metal in one part of the lobby is meant to resemble the wall at a typical mill. Other pieces of artwork scattered on the walls, including prints in a lacework pattern and small whimsical embroidery hoops containing stitched animals and other patterns, are meant to be subtle reminders of the textile theme.

Further into the lobby, colorful spools of thread dangling from the ceiling are incorporated in a hanging sculpture by another Columbia artist, Jessica Dame. These spools are meant to represent the shuttles of thread that created countless garments and other textile goods at the area’s mills.

“Every Cambria hotel is focused on creating a real sense of space and place,” Cannon told SC Biz News. “We like to think of it as approachable indulgence, filling the hotel with things that both surprise and delight the traveler. With the textile theme, we wanted to create a cerebral kind of design narrative that constantly reminds visitors of the his-

tory and the theme.”

Choice Hotels on behalf of the Cambria Vista location also donated $5,000 to the University of South Carolina’s School of Hotel Restaurant and Tourism Management. An official from the school said the funds would go toward a program to help attract students from

minority and underserved communities.

Columbia’s Cambria was developed by Highside Development in collaboration with Pyramid Hotel Group. LS3P of Columbia was the architect for the project. McCrory Construction was the contractor, with interior decoration by

Elementum.

The hotel features onsite dining and a bar serving local craft beer, wine and specialty cocktails. There also are multipurpose indoor and outdoor spaces for work or leisure, multifunction meeting and event spaces and a fitness center.

Benedict College receives grant to fuel innovation

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Benedict College in Columbia has received a $525,000 “Build to Scale” grant to help organize, launch and operate a statewide investment accelerator program for underrepresented groups and minorities who are in the early stages of entrepreneurship.

The grant is one of 51 totaling $47 mil-

lion that have been awarded nationwide by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, according to a news release.

“Benedict College and the Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship have a long history of economic development in the Midlands,” said Tracy Dunn, dean of the Tyrone Adam Burroughs School of Business and Entrepreneurship at Benedict. “This EDA grant is significant

The grant is one of 51 totaling $47 million that have been awarded nationwide.

because it allows us to expand the reach of our work to envelop the state, and more

importantly it includes a pathway for our women and minority early-stage companies in South Carolina to secure capital to grow their businesses.”

Benedict will work with several partners who are helping to support the project, including the S.C. Department of Commerce, South Carolina Research Authority and HI Mark Capital.

Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.

Auto glazer investing $3.3 million in Lexington County facility

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Specialty glazing manufacturer

AGP Group is investing $3.3 million in new Lexington County operations expected to create 35 jobs. AGP eGlass, headquartered in Belgium, provides high-tech automotive glazing to more than 20 automotive brands worldwide.

“As a leader in the industry with

operations all over the world, we are very happy AGP Group chose to establish their latest operations in Lexington County,” Lexington County Council Chair Scott Whetstone said in a news release from economic development organization Central South Carolina Alliance. “This investment in our community will help create jobs for Lexington County residents and create more opportunities for growth moving forward.”

The new facility will be located at 423 Foster Brothers Drive in West Columbia. It will be the company’s newest operations satellite plant and feature a highly automated manufacturing model for direct assembly of glass parts.

“We are very pleased to open a new AVO facility in Lexington County,” said Arturo Mannheim, AGP Group CEO and board chair. “This will support our global expansion strategy. Thanks to its

high level of automation and state-ofthe-art capabilities, it meets even the highest quality standards of our customers and the industry to enable the vehicles of today and tomorrow.”

Operations are expected to be online in November. People interested in applying for jobs with AGP eGlass should visit the company’s careers page.

Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.

The Cambria, the newest hotel in the Vista, held a grand opening ceremony on Oct. 12. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

RISE OF THE ROBOTS

New facilities demonstrate BMW’s embrace of iFactory strategy

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

LCX,

the new logistics center near the BME Manufacturing Plant in Greer, is more to BMW Group than another $100 million investment in efficiency.

The company has adopted a strategy

called iFactory, which the BMW Group says will not only define the future orientation of its plants worldwide, but also set new standards in climate protection and competitiveness with flexible, efficient, sustainable and digital manufacturing technologies.

The LCX, at nearly 1 million square

feet, combines two warehouses and their materials into one building, making operations leaner and more efficient, according to Robert Engelhorn, president and CEO of BMW Manufacturing in Spartanburg County.

A feature of the logistics center is a fence that cuts through the interior of the build-

ing, separating the new container freight station from BMW’s Foreign Trade Zone. Parts enter the warehouse on one side to be separated. The duty-paid material is crossdocked and travels by truck to BMW’s Consolidated Services operations at Inland

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Spartanburg plant.

ifactory. (Photo/Fred Rollison)

Port Greer, according to a BMW news release.

Only the duty-unpaid BMW-owned parts are allowed to enter the Foreign Trade Zone. Those parts are either stored temporarily on racks in the warehouse or go directly to the BMW plant to be used in production.

Driverless yard trucks called “holsters” carry the parts across two private ridges, including one over Interstate 85.

“BMW has worked in close partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and appreciates their support in creating this one-of-a-kind warehouse,” Oliver Bilstein, vice president of Logistics and Production Control for BMW, said during the dedication of the LCX at the end of September.

BMW used the LCX opening to introduce the use of autonomous holsters as part of the logistics process. In a video demonstration, BMW showed a driverless holster and trailer — similar in size to a diesel tractor-trailer — leaving the LCX building, traveling across both private bridges, and delivering parts to a building on the plant site. BMW later will launch an autonomous logistics program which will use 5G wireless technology on the Plant Spartanburg site, enabling real-time connectivity between machinery and equipment, according to a news release.

As the company tested the holsters, a driver parked another truck in the path of one of the autonomous vehicles, Bilstein said, and the holster stopped until the truck was gone in an unintentional high-stakes test of the system.

BMW Group announced the iFactory strategy from its Munich headquarters in May, calling it “the compelling answer to the challenges of the automotive transformation toward electromobility,” the industry transition to electric powertrain technology.

The company said it is “setting new standards in climate protection and competitiveness with flexible, efficient, sustainable and digital manufacturing technologies.”

BMW’s future plant in Debrecen, Hungary, where the all-electric Neue Klasse will roll off the production line in 2025, will be the first built from the ground-up with the strategy in mind, but the company intends iFactory to be implemented everywhere, from their 100-year-old Munich operation to the world’s largest BMW manufacturing site, Plant Spartanburg.

Plant Spartanburg already incorporates the use of autonomous logistics in other areas of production. In the body shop, Smart Transport Robots, or STRs, can transport parts weighing as much as a ton to their destination. In assembly, logistics is also testing a driverless route train that delivers parts to areas in the X3/X4 assembly hall.

“Innovation, digitalization and sustainability are key success factors for the future of logistics,” Bilstein said in the news release. “Autonomous transportation — whether with smart robots, tuggers or even

trucks — will make logistics even more flexible and efficient.”

The principles of the BMW iFactory mark the next step in responding to global climate change with a holistic, environmentally friendly and futureoriented approach — and continues to drive the success of electric vehicles, according to Milan Nedeljković, a member of the board of management for production at BMW AG.

“The BMW iFactory delivers not only on the increasing customer demand for electric vehicles but also on our desire, as a member of society, to support climate protection and sustainability,” he said in a news release when the company introduced the iFactory idea in May. “We are using digitalization to make this happen — while remaining absolutely competitive.”

BMW started its own company in 2020 to produce autonomous robotics for the logistics sector.

IDEALworks GmbH, which in part is an acronym for Industry Driven Engineering for Autonomous Logistics, was created after the company’s autonomous innovations were successful inside and outside of BMW.

“We are entering completely new terrain with IDEALworks GmbH. Up until now, our development has focused on automo-

tive production and its logistics,” Jimmy Nassif, CTO of IDEALworks GmbH, said at the time. “Our perspective is changing now. We are becoming a provider of logistics robotics beyond the automotive industry.”

Since 2015, the innovations team from BMW Group Logistics has been working on future-focused industry 4.0 solutions in the fields of virtual reality, augmented reality, in- and outdoor logistics robots, paperless logistics and smart devices, the company said.

The STR, which has a profile similar to a hand-pulled pallet jack, was one of those solutions.

They independently calculate the best route and move freely around the space using the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping navigation method. The SLAM algorithm does not require permanent navigation transmitters to be installed in buildings and can therefore be set up quickly in a new environment without requiring any structural adjustments, according to the company.

A new training center that opened eight days after the LCX in Greer will play an important role in transforming Plant Spartanburg into a BMW iFactory and have an influence in other BMW operations in North America.

“Our associates are rising to the challenge to make the BMW Group electric, digital and circular,” Ilka Horsmeier, a member of the BMW board of management, said in a news release. “This new training center will give the entire Plant Spartanburg team the environment to learn and grow their careers and meet the demands of our customers worldwide. Through training in digitalization and future technologies, we will ensure that the BMW Group remains the leader in mobility and is an attractive workplace for generations.”

According to Nedeljković, “This new training center will be instrumental in transforming Plant Spartanburg into a BMW iFactory and set new standards for flexibility, sustainability and digitalization. Future leaders, innovators and technicians will learn the concepts of future production to develop innovative solutions that will be integrated into plant operations here in Spartanburg and also in our global network.”

A robotics training area in the center is designed for flexibility, with robot cells on self-contained pallets that can be moved and plugged in to overhead electrical outlets.

Along with areas for professional development and leadership training, there is defined workspace for augmented and virtual reality training and for advanced manufacturing in emerging technologies such as 3D printing and laser welding.

The two latest investments — $100 million for the LCX and $20 million for the learning center — are the latest in a long series of expansions of Plant Spartanburg facilities since BMW broke ground in 1992 on their first plant outside Germany. At the time BMW said they would invest $600 million in Spartanburg County and provide 2,000 jobs.

Total investments now are close to $12 billion and 11,000 workers are employed at the plant.

A driverless holster hauls parts from the LCX to the plant. The techology onboard will open the factory doors when the holster arrives. (Photo/Fred Rollison)

LCX construction included two private bridges, one of them over Interstate 85. (Photo/Steve Fincher)

MOST SEE SC PORTS SEES

Inland Port Greer

operations support the supply chains of global companies like BMW

BMW opens $120 million worth of new facilities, hits milestone

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

AsSeptember gave way to October, BMW opened $120 million in new facilities and hit a milestone on the production line.

BMW Manufacturing opened a $100 million logistics center Sept. 29, assembled the 6 millionth vehicle made at Plant Spartanburg the next day and opened a $20 million training center Oct. 7. In the middle of it, the company recognized the 30th anniversary of breaking ground for the plant.

The logistics center, called LCX, is on Freeman Farm Road in Greer, billed by BMW as a “more efficient, sustainable and digital operation” in keeping with company efforts to stay ahead of changing technology.

BMW Manufacturing President and CEO Robert Engelhorn said LCX combines two warehouses into one facility, “making our processes faster, leaner and more efficient.” He said the center incorporates elements of the BMW iFactory strategy, which defines the future of automotive manufacturing for all of BMW production worldwide.

The $20 million training center was built with a goal of promoting creative learning, fostering innovation and advancing technical skills in a chang-

ing automotive industry. It will have an additional economic impact on the Upstate economy by attracting people from BMW operations across North America for training.

The 68,000-square-foot training center includes classrooms for professional development and technical training, an amphitheater and an outdoor meeting and workspace that includes wireless capabilities.

The center is near the manufacturing plant off S.C. Highway 101 in Greer. It will be the North American training hub for all future technologies for BMW associates tasked with mastering state-

of-the-art skills to stay ahead of industry standards, according to a news release.

“Our associates are rising to the challenge to make the BMW Group electric, digital and circular,” Ilka Horstmeier, a member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, said in the news release. She also is director for people and real estate, labor relations. “This new training center will give the entire Plant Spartanburg team the environment to learn and grow their careers and meet the demands of our customers worldwide Through training in digitalization and future technologies, we will ensure that the BMW Group remains the lead-

er in mobility and is an attractive workplace for future generations.”

With 40 functional learning spaces, the center’s inside areas include space for hands-on vocational training such as welding, metal fabrication and machine tools, as well a advanced technical training for robotics and controls, mechatronics and automotive technology. The robotics area is designed for flexibility with robot cells on self-contained pallets that can be moved and plugged in to overhead electrical outlets.

“The contributions our associates make to BMW are invaluable,” Engelhorn said in the news release. “We want to build a culture of empowerment and provide our associates with the right tools and training so they can continue to be successful. When they succeed, BMW succeeds.”

Along with professional development and leadership training areas, the flexibility includes defined workspace for augmented and virtual reality training and for advanced manufacturing in emerging technologies such as 3D printing and laser welding, the release said.

The java green metallic BMW X6 M that rolled off the production line on the 30th anniversary of the plant will stay there as part of the company’s museum, joining the first ever made on U.S. soil and other milestone vehicles.

#youcangreenvillesc

The training center will be a destination for employees throughout North America. (Photo/Fred Rollison)

CONFERENCE PARTNERS

PRESENTING SPONSORS CONFERENCE SPONSORS

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHER

Manufacturing is a big deal in South Carolina. Consider this:

• Manufacturers in South Carolina account for 16.27% of the total output in the state, employing 12.04% of the workforce.

• Total output from manufacturing was $40.26 billion in 2019.

• There were an average of 260,000 manufacturing employees in South Carolina in 2020, with an average annual compensation of $76,524 in 2019.

• South Carolina had $29.61 billion in manufactured goods exported in 2020.

So it’s with good reason that we shine a light on the Palmetto State’s manufacturing sector with the 2022 South Carolina Manufacturing Conference & Expo.

We are proud to partner this year with SCMEP — the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership — along with the S.C. Council on Competitiveness, the S.C. Research Authority and Prisma Health.

This year’s event will include interactive displays focusing on artificial intelligence and technology. (You might even spot a robotic dog making its way around the expo.)

Attendees can peruse a wide variety of manufacturing-related booths, enjoy an awards luncheon and have an almost unlimited number of opportunities for business-to-business interaction.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Rick Jenkins Conference Director Group Publisher, SC Biz News

SOU TH CAROLINA MANUFACTURING CONFERENCE AND EXPO

With 2,000+ attendees each year, the SC Manufacturing Conference and Expo is one of the largest manufacturing events in the Southeast. Past attendees have included vice presidents, directors and senior managers from companies such as General Electric, Boeing, Samsung, BMW and Michelin.

Exhibitors can reach up these key decisionmakers with their company’s message, but remaining booths are limited! Book your booth at https:// scmanufacturingconference. com/booth-reservation/

The Conference’s anchor event this year will once again be the annual Salute to Manufacturing Awards Luncheon, celebrating its 25th year, where up to 20 of the state’s manufacturers will be honored with a variety of excellence awards. Other events on the agenda will dive into the auto, aerospace, and artifical intelligence industries.

SCMEP and Daedulas Industrial will present a timely session for manufacturers: Leveraging New Technologies to Mitigate Workforce Challenges. Topics will include vision systems, robotics and process intelligence.

To view the agenda and to register, visit scmanufacturingconference. com

AGENDA: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2022

Exhibitor Check-in - 8 am

Exhibitors may check in and set up their booths from 8 am – 5 pm. Check-in instructions will be sent out prior to the conference. For questions, please contact Lauren Medders at lmedders@scbiznews.com.

Networking Mixer + Exhibitors, VIP Guest And Vendors

Your workforce is your greatest asset

Employer Health Services provides occupational medicine and episodic care services on-site. Our team members are available to come to your worksite and provide services to your employees for a few hours at a time, part-time or full-time. To learn more, call 833-890-2109.

Manufacturing Expo

November 3: 8:00 am - 5 pm

November 4: 8:00 am - 1 pm

Visit the Manufacturing Expo to have access to our Exhibitors. The Expo Floor spans approximately three football fields in size and attendees are encouraged to explore the entire space. The Manufacturing Expo will be open to the public from 8 am – 5 pm Nov. 3 and from 8 am - 1 p.m Nov. 4 . The cost to enter the Manufacturing Expo is $25 and you can register for this option under “Build Your

Own Conference Agenda” on our registration page. Of course, we encourage you to also register for the various breakfast and lunch events on the Agenda.

Presented by:

AGENDA: THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2022

7.30 am – 9:00 am

Day One Breakfast Session

Creating a Digital Twin

Exploring Use Cases for Replicating Manufacturing Processes, Assets and Facilities

A digital twin is a virtual model designed to accurately reflect a physical object. In essence, it’s a computer program that uses real world data to create simulations that can predict how a product or process will perform. How are digital twins being used on manufacturing facility floors today? How does the twin study influence performance issues? How does it generate improvements? Attend this morning session to get the answers.

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

• SCRA executive director Bob Quinn will demonstrate how SCRA supports technology startups, academic research and entrepreneurs and innovators.

• SCRA industry manager, Catherine Hayes, will provide an overview of the Digital Twin concept.

• Nate McCall, Senior Solutions Manager - Digital Factory of NavVis and Javier Ortiz, Founder of New Forge, will present current and future applications, ROI opportunities, and lessons learned from industry deployments of the Digital Twin

• Plus, breakfast will be served!

ABOUT THE SOUTH CAROLINA RESEARCH AUTHORITY

SCRA is the leading catalyst in making South Carolina the first choice for technology-focused industry, entrepreneurs, and academics. The organization supports technology startups and academic institutions by providing lab and administrative space, among other things. SCRA connects industry to entrepreneurs and innovators through matchmaking opportunities that promote growth, and funds relocation costs for technology-based companies moving to South Carolina. Presented by:

11:30 am – 1 pm

Day One Lunch Session

Artificial Intelligence is a Game Changer

AI is Revolutionizing Advanced Manufacturing Smart Factories

This far-reaching Industry 4.0 technology brings greater efficiencies and reduced downtime, lower costs, and improved quality, and AI may be more affordable and accessible than many small manufacturers realize. But will the financial impact justify the investment? And what workforce issues might arise because of extensive training requirements?

With over 71 million square feet of industrial facilities constructed nationwide, Choate Construction Company knows how to help your company maximize revenues and get to market faster. Let our team of industrial professionals show you how we are constructing facilities for clients in innovative ways that save money, create opportunities, and advance business goals.

WHY SHOULD YOU ATTEND?

• Susie Shannon, CEO of the SC Council on Competitiveness or SC Competes, will kick things off with an overview of how advanced manufacturing facilities in South Carolina are making use of artificial intelligence technologies like never before.

• You’ll hear from an AI-dedicated CTO, who will share the up-to-date, realworld application of AI technology on today’s plant floors.

• You’ll be treated to a live demonstration of SC Competes’ newest piece of AI: Spot the robot dog. Spot, brought to life by Boston Dynamics, is all the rage on manufacturing facility floors across the country, including BMW in Spartanburg County. This brings an entirely different meaning to “See Spot Run!”

• You’ll learn about a new workforce initiative between a host of partners, including SC Competes and several educational institutions. The initiative is determining workforce needs and creating a curriculum to ensure future employees can hit the ground running upon graduation.

• Plus, lunch will be served!

ABOUT THE SC COUNCIL ON COMPETITIVENESS

The South Carolina Council on Competitiveness – SC Competes – is a nonpartisan, business-led, nonprofit organization that drives South Carolina’s long-term economic growth by managing the state’s industry clusters and providing the research, network, and resources that industry clusters require to thrive.

Clusters and initiatives directly managed by SC Competes, include Transform SC, SC Aerospace, SC Logistics, SC Tech, Cyber SC, and SC Fraunhofer USA Alliance.

Presented by:

3 pm – 4:30 pm - Afternoon Session

2023 Economic Outlook: Auto, Aerospace, Biotech

South Carolina is one of the fastest-growing advanced manufacturing hubs in the Southeast, and the state has long been known for its production of automobiles. The Palmetto State is currently No. 1 in the country in auto and tire exports by value and is also No. 1 in the export of completed passenger vehicles. In 2021, BMW Manufacturing, with a U.S. manufacturing plant in Spartanburg, led the nation for the 8th consecutive year in auto exports by value.

The aerospace sector is now on par with auto manufacturing in a variety of annual growth benchmarks, and South Carolina is also a top destination for companies in the life sciences industry looking for a place to call home. Life Sciences is the fastest-growing sector in the state.

Presented by:

Commit to your employees. Partner with Anderson University. Benefit from a culture of support.

Corporate Customized Training and Workshops

Customized in-person workshops and self-paced online learning modules tailored specifically to your organization’s employee development needs

Self-Paced Professional Development Courses

Innovative courses aligned to applicable professional development credit

Certificates

Convenient and affordable certifications to help you explore new careers and professional growth

100% Online Undergraduate and Graduate Degrees

Flexible online programs designed for the working student

Join our Preferred Partnership Program

Learn and grow in your respective field with an exclusive tuition grant on a selection of over 30 eligible online and hybrid degrees

AGENDA: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2022

8 a.m. – 9:30 am

Day 2

Breakfast Session

Women in Manufacturing: Leaders and Influencers

Maybe the most popular event of the annual conference, expected to sell out again, is the Women in Manufacturing: Leaders and Influencers Breakfast. Although women make up 47% of the total workforce, they only comprise about 30% of all those employed in manufacturing industries. And only about 20% of executive leaders in manufacturing are women.

However, the industry’s attitude toward recruiting and promoting women is changing, the gender gap is narrowing, and more and more women are beginning to find a place for themselves in a challenging industry traditionally dominated by men.

Several women executives gather to answer questions, offer advice, share stories about their rise through the ranks and discuss their hope for the future.

Speakers: Carrie Bovender, President at Grand Forest; Laura Bordeaux, ASC Plant Manager at Zeus Industrial Products; and Mary Ellen Grom, Executive Director of Customer Experience Solutions at AFL

Presented by:

NOV. 4 NOON – 2 pm DAY 2 LUNCH SESSION

SCMEP Manufacturing Excellence Awards

The anchor event of the SC Manufacturing Conference and Expo is a quartercentury old!

The 25th annual awards luncheon will honor South Carolina manufacturers in a variety of categories. The judging process is coordinated by the South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership. Lunch will be provided and pre-registration is required. S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster will hand out awards and deliver a keynote address.

Awards:

• Transformation and Operational Excellence – Awarded to the company that demonstrates real-world, bottom-line results achieved through the adoption of continuous improvement and/or operational excellence tools and techniques.

• Innovator of the Year – Recognizes a company that has, through the innovation of new devices, ideas, inventions, or processes, transformed its business.

• Emerging Manufacturer of the Year – Presented to one company that has been in operation for five or fewer years and has demonstrated superior performance.

• Outreach Award – Honors a manufacturer making a tangible and measurable impact on South Carolina communities.

• Smart Move SC New Plant Award – Honors a manufacturer that made a “Smart Move” by choosing to build a new plant in South Carolina.

• Smart Move SC Expansion Award — Honors a manufacturer that made a “Smart Move” by choosing to expand an existing facility in South Carolina.

• Chuck Spangler Manufacturing Lifetime Service Award – Recognizes an individual whose contributions have had a significant and lasting impact on the state’s manufacturing community. Chuck Spangler was the long-time CEO of the SC Manufacturing Extension Partnership.

ABOUT SCMEP

The South Carolina Manufacturing Extension Partnership (SCMEP) is a private, non-profit organization that supports the state’s manufacturing community by providing a range of innovative strategies and solutions.

An affiliate of the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), SCMEP operates under the US Dept. of Commerce to promote innovation and industrial competitiveness.

PRESENTED BY:

TRAINING COURSES BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE SOUTH CAROLINA MANUFACTURING EXTENSION PARTNERSHIP (SCMEP)

Register for training courses and see complete session overviews and instructor bios on conference website: www.SCManufacturingConference.com

Leveraging New Technologies to Mitigate Workforce Challenges

Nov. 3

8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

Most manufacturers will have read or heard about how modern technologies can help address the current labor and workforce challenges. But what are those technologies and, specifically, in which areas of the plant can they be rolled out? Which jobs or functions can they quickly, effectively, and economically be deployed?

Join SCMEP, Daedalus Industries and partners for a deep dive into how workforce challenges can be mitigated through the adoption of a range of modern technologies. During this fun, informative, and interactive session, presenters will explore several technology-based solutions readily available to ease the strain on scarce labor resource in areas such as inspection, material handling, and machine loading/ unloading.

We will also explore programs and sources of funding that are readily available to South Carolina manufacturers to determine the feasibility and potential return on investment of implementing technology. Participants will be able to view the technologies in action and also

have their questions answered by on-hand subject matter experts.

Agenda

Vision Systems Quality inspection Machine or Robot Guidance Case studies

Robotics

Robot vs. Cobot – Application Analysis and Case Studies Safety and vision guidance Robot teaching demonstration

AGVs

Existing products and use case Developmental products Physical demonstration

Process intelligence Data Collection

IOT and AI if you want to Machine learning

For nearly a century, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick, LLP has advised manufacturers—including small-to medium-sized companies, as well as multinational Fortune 500 and FSTE 1000 industrial corporations—to add value to stakeholders. We help manufacturing companies navigate a myriad of complex issues ranging from product design and protection to incorporation of technology in the manufacturing process, managing supply chains, expanding production and distribution, and managing risks in a highly regulated global environment.

Learn more about Shumaker’s Carolinas team by visiting our Biergarten during the expo or at shumaker.com.

rely on Shumaker for solutions to their most complex issues.

Greenville - Charleston - Charlotte shumaker.com

CAROLINA

How to Get Started

Feasibility Studies/Pilot Programs

State funding sources

How financing works

Calculating ROI

Presented by SCMEP, Daedalus Industrial, and partners

An intro into Industry 4.0 tools such as AI and Predictive Analytics

Live Demos of A.I. Solutions for Predictive Maintenance of Robotics, CNC Machining, and Stamping

Live Demos of AI Solutions for Predictive Quality of Casting and Molding

Case Study Presentations from S.C. Manufacturers in the Region

A call to action summary to assess your company’s digital maturity and develop a roadmap for your Industry 4.0 journey

Key Workshop Takeaways

Zero-Downtime, Zero Defects: Manufacturing with AI and Predictive Analytics

Nov. 3

8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

A decrease in unplanned downtime or a few percentage points of scrap reduction can yield millions of dollars in savings for manufacturers.

Does your organization have the necessary organizational and technical maturity to embark on your Industry 4.0 journey?

Join SCMEP and IoTco for an interactive deep dive into “digital tools of the trade” needed to develop a systematic and successful approach toward achieving Zero-Downtime, Zero-Defects manufacturing.

The workshop will feature a manufacturer outlining how their company started their Industry 4.0 journey by conducting a ‘Digital Transformation Assessment.’ This assessment created a roadmap for their short and long-term needs for connectivity, manufacturing operations management, and A.I. predictive analytics.

Participants will also experience the following:

Act now, demonstrate leadership, build the business case for Industry 4.0, and Predictive Analytics, and get started

Data first! Digitalization is from the past; predictive analytics and artificial intelligence is the future

Industry 4.0 is all about process, technology, and people. Empower your maintenance and quality personnel with predictive and prescriptive insights

Utilize a systematic approach to “Think Big, Start Small, and Gain ROI” with Industry 4.0

Presented by SCMEP and IoTco Industry Solutions: It’s Demo Day!

Sunland Logistics Solutions is celebrating its 40th year in business headquartered in South Carolina and is recognized by Inbound Logistics Magazine as a Top 100 3PL Provider. Sunland's network of distribution & fulfillment centers has grown nationally and the Sunland team is operating over 2,500,000 SF across 7 locations for customers in South Carolina

Our purpose is to help our customers do what they do...better!

Helping improve supply chain performance & enhance customer experience across channels with lean warehouse solutions, connected technologies & value-added logistics services

We needed key strategic input

Nov. 4

8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m.

Smart Glasses, Robots and Exoskeletons, Oh My!

It’s easy to read about all the new technology being used on the plant floors of today’s smart factories. And a quick Google search will reveal hundreds of images and videos depicting all the new high-tech gadgets. But you don’t always get the opportunity to see the tech up close and personal. Well, that all changes on DEMO DAY!

WHAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE IN THIS DEMO-DRIVEN WORKSHOP

Hold a pair of smart glasses. Try them on. See what all the fuss is about.

See the wearable IoT devices, or Exoskeletons, that protect manufacturers on the job.

Watch a demonstration of a mobile robot. Learn how they’re being used to assist human workers.

Pet Spot, the robot dog!

Learn how a digital twin uses real world data to predict how a product or process will perform

About the South Carolina Research Authority

SCRA brings together key players in innovation, by working in close

alignment with academic institutions, entrepreneurs and industry. The public nonprofit corporation focuses on three sectors: Advanced manufacturing and materials, information technology, and life sciences. Chartered by the state of South Carolina in 1983, SCRA fuels the state’s innovation economy.

For more information, go to www.scra.org

Presenter: South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA)

Building for your now. Here for you always.

Since opening our doors in 2001, Evans General Contractors has grown into a leading design-build, general contracting, and construction management firm with service delivery across the Southeast, nationally, and internationally. www.evansgeneralcontractors.com

WON'T WANT TO MISS OUT!

AAble South Carolina 251

Advanced Equipment Co. 610

aeSolutions 246

Alder Energy Systems 615

Alston Construction 428

ANC Group 439

Anderson University 336

ArrowHawk Industries, Inc 421

A-SAFE Inc. 423

ASAP Expediting and Logistics 220

AssuredPartners 411

Atlantic Intermodal Services 603

B

Bartlett Controls 511

BDV Solutions 255

BLG Logistics 254

BlueCross BlueShield 506

C

Cello HR, LLC 406

Cerulean Commercial Aviation 419 Charleston Southern University 530

Choate 416

Clean Metro 702

Clemson University 622

CNT Foundations 337

Colite Technoligies 325 Condustrial 248

Connectivity Point 221

D

Daedalus Industrial 308

Defender Services 513

Denham-Blythe Company, Inc. 245

Doctor’s Care 520

Drum Creative 205

EXHIBITOR DIRECTORY

E

EAC Product Development Solutions 315

ELDECO, Inc. 503

Elliott Davis 519

Embassy Suites by Hilton Downtown Riverplace 420 EmployBridge 340

ESS Industrial 621

Evans General Contractors 301

Everworks 609

Express Employment 512

F

FANUC America Corporation 402

Formic 623

G

Gemba Systems 319 Grand Aire, Inc. 330 Greenville Hilton 507 Greenville Scale Company 225

Greenville Technical College 401 Greenwood Inc. 514

GSP International Airport 418 H

Harper General Contractors 424

Hilton Managed Hotels Charleston 430 HRP 407

HTI 605

I

IES 706

Industrial Network Group 716,715

Integrated ID Solutions 710 IoTco 252

IPS Packaging and

Automation 415

i-TECH eServices, LLC 412

J

JH Batten-TN, Inc. 312

K

Kelley Engineering 326 Koch Finishing Systems 523

Koops Automation Systems 318

KYEL Group, Inc. 338 KYOCERA AVX 211

L

Leadec Industrial Services 256

Logisticus Technology Solutions 422

M

Malone Workforce Solutions 253

Marathon Staffing 529

MAU Workforce Solutions 703

McCrory Construction, LLC 206

Mechanical Equipment Co. 441

Microscope Solutions, Inc. 713

Mikaela Kate Leadership Training 258

Monti-Inc 518

Morrow Insurance Agency, Inc. 317

MSS Solutions 409

MULTI-Industries 617

N

Nephron Pharmaceuticals 427

Network Controls 431

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BlueCross

Staffing

Performance

Performance Ink 438

Personal Safety 329

Phoenix Specialty Mfg. Co. 602

Pinnacle Partnership 604

Portsmouth Metal Stamping 510

Pozyx 614

Premier Roofing, LLC 437

701

RAutomated 228

EXHIBITOR DIRECTORY

Rogers & Calcott 314

RS Hughes Co Inc 303

S

SC Biz Ticket Check 227 SC Council on Competitivness 214

SC Future Makers 249 SC Technical College System 524

SCBIZtv 216

Schaeffer’s Manufacturing 321

SCMEP 203 SCRA 218,127

Shumaker 404

Sika Corporation 323

Skyline Exhibit & Design 501

Southern Industrial Constructors, Inc. 322 SouthStar Capital 324

Spar Solutions Unlimited 257

Hype

Splash Omnimedia 425, 426

Sunland Logistics 531

Supreme Maintenance Organization, Inc. 525

International Inc. 313

T

TargetCare 247

Taylor Lubricants 508

Terracon 320

The Cargo Agency 222

The Nearshore Company 259

Thermwood Corporation 207

Tooling U-SME 226

TransitionWorks LLC (dba TouchPath) 208 TriMech 212

Trishul Hospitiality 229

Tuffaloy 240

Two Way Radio Center 440

U

UofSC Darla Moore School of Business 429

US Coating Innovations, Inc. 517

USI Insurance Services 250 Utility Management Services 405

V

VanHool US Sales 410 Velo Solar 339

W

Warehouse Services 209

Watson Electrical 601

Wayne Brothers Companies 505

WiM-SC (Women in Manufacturing) 230

Wolverine Coating 620

Z

Zefco Industrial Flooring 224

EMC Insurance Companies 311

Infintium Fuel Cell Systems 712

Kontane Logistics 316 Proactive MD 302

Wallace Industrial 332

Allegiance Staffing 244 Veteran One 327

Greenville Federal Credit Union 619

Barclay Water Management 231

CORA Physical Therapy 239

Canon Business Process Services 613

SUSE LLC 612

Prototyping Solutions 716

Fueling Innovation and Partnerships in Manufacturing

Chartered in 1983 by the State of South Carolina as a public, nonprofit corporation, South Carolina Research Authority (SCRA) fuels South Carolina’s innovation economy through the impact of its four programs.

n Academia: Funding and supporting to advance transitional research and accelerate the growth of academic startups.

n Facilities: Providing high-quality laboratory and administrative workspaces for technology-based startups and academic institutions.

n Industry: Facilitating and funding technology advancements and partnerships with industry, startups, and academic institutions.

n Startups: Coaching and funding technology-based startups that may also receive investments from SCRA’s investment affiliate, SC Launch Inc.

Contact Catherine Hayes, SCRA industry manager, at catherine.hayes@scra.org to learn about new strategic partnership opportunities or visit our booth.

Staying competitive has never been more essential.

In Focus

CONTRACTORS

NEXT ISSUE’S FOCUS: Banking & Finance

Stricter building codes offer security in SC in face of natural disasters BUILT TO LAST

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Images of destroyed, damaged and flooded homes and businesses have been all too common in the weeks after Hurricane Ian ravaged the southwest coast of Florida and then caused damage and flooding along the S.C. coast.

Most storm damage in those counties came from Ian’s high storm surge, and the worst destruction came in the form of sand dunes swept away, beach accesses torn apart, and fishing piers broken or completely demolished.

Many houses received some flooding, damage to roofs and other components, but thankfully the state’s coast didn’t see the massive, complete destruction of homes and businesses that hit places such as Fort Myers and Sanibel Island in Florida.

However, repairs to those homes that were affected will likely take months, and this latest natural disaster is a reminder to property owners, builders and architects in South Carolina that the state’s volatile weather

is something that needs to be on the radar when designing and building new homes and commercial buildings.

One thing that should satisfy many property owners’ concerns is the fact that structures in the state have had to be built to conform to much stricter codes over the past 30 years, said Mark Nix, executive director of the Homebuilders Association of South Carolina.

“When you look at storm damage these days, usually the worst you’ll see is to homes built prior to the 1990s,” Nix said. “Ever since Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992, new codes that have been enacted have done a good job of mitigating a lot of losses and damage, especially on the coast.”

Nix said South Carolina officials decided during the 1990s to switch the state’s set of building codes from what was called the Southern Codes. The state now adheres to building codes set by the International Code Council. These are revised and updated every three years to respond to new building innovations as well as weather conditions and other concerns, and the lat-

est codes were adopted on Jan. 1, Nix said.

Those with property concerns along the coast should also feel good about the results of a 2021 study by the Insurance Institute that placed South Carolina as having the third-best set of building codes among coastal states nationwide, Nix said.

While hurricanes might be the disaster most on everyone’s radar right now, another potential danger has increasingly been on the minds of Midlands residents this year – but this one comes from deep underground.

Since Dec. 27, 2021, 47 earthquakes have occurred in the Kershaw County towns of Lugoff and Elgin, with the highest magnitude of 3.6 occurring on June 29, according to statistics from the S.C. Emergency Management Division. There have also been several earthquakes in the Upstate and in the Charleston area, but nothing like the activity near Elgin.

State and national geologists have termed the unusual tremors Elgin’s “earthquake swarm,” and say it is just normal seismic activity along one of

the state’s many fault lines and not related to any human activity such as mining or construction. Still, the tremors have made many local residents nervous and caused them to wonder how their homes would stand up to bigger earthquakes.

Nix said earthquake-resistant measures are already built into the existing codes. “We’re consistently addressing this concern,” he said. “The S.C. Building Code Council studies local and regional maps, and two of the biggest concerns addressed in the codes are seismology and high winds.”

The benefits of the last few decades’ worth of stricter building codes are very evident to Mark Hood, president of Hood Construction in Columbia.

“We’re starting to see the long-term effects of many years of better building codes and better building construction,” Hood said. “Sometimes when you look at photos of an area that’s been hit by a hurricane, you’ll see three houses completely destroyed and then some right next to them still standing.

A new technology center at Midlands Tech’s Beltline Campus is an example of projects build to stricter building standards in South Carolina. (Photo/Hood Construction)

WestLawn building helps Robinson Gray focus on connectivity

By Melinda Waldrop mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

WhenColumbia law firm Robinson Gray needed a new space, it decided to do something completely different.

Having outgrown its offices in the R.L. Bryan Co. warehouse, built in 1913 in the Congaree Vista, the firm with area roots stretching back a century originally split into two locations.

“When we began thinking about getting under one roof again, because we felt the need to pull everybody back together, we started looking around town to see how we could do that and have the next chapter,” said Cal Watson, managing partner. “We looked at a lot of different things around town and none of them really spoke to us. There’s not a lot available. And that’s when we got in touch with the Hughes group.”

The Hughes Development Corp., master developer of the 180-acre BullStreet District, was adding a new twist to the massive mixed-use development at the site of the former S.C. State Hospital. The WestLawn building, a 79,000-squarefoot, five-story building, broke ground in March 2021 on a project like nothing Columbia had ever seen.

The first mass timber commercial building in the city and the largest of its kind in South Carolina, the WestLawn is designed to provide both form and function. It is constructed of cross-laminated timber, a renewable commercial building material invented in the 1990s that sequesters carbon and reduces reliance upon traditional construction materials such as concrete and steel as well as labor costs.

The first such building was built in Montana in 2011. At its groundbreaking, the WestLawn joined less than 400 commercial mass timber buildings in the U.S., according to Hughes Development. As of September 2022, 1,571 mass timber commercial, multifamily or institutional buildings had been constructed or were in design in all 50 states, according to woodworks.org.

Renato Tonelli, senior project architect at WestLawn architecture firm Perkins&Will, said in a promotional video on Robinson Gray’s website that the building industry contributes a third of the carbon emissions in the world.

Mass timber construction is designed to reduce that footprint while also offering distinctive touches that make the attorneys at WestLawn and their clients feel right at home.

Robinson Gray settled into more than 29,000 square feet on the building’s top two floors at the beginning of September. Ten-foot, floor-to-ceiling windows maximize natural light, while elevators and stairways on the side of the building leave an open floor plan.

The fifth floor features a cafe with

individual booths equipped with Wi-Fi enabled TV screens and a rooftop terrace overlooking Columbia and the ongoing progress at BullStreet. The fourth floor houses attorney, administrative and paralegal offices — open spaces with privacy features such as pull-down screens that flow into a design Watson calls seamless.

“We want to provide a space that is conducive to collaboration and working together,” Watson said.

Design details include curved walls and a color palette of greens, blues and

browns that pay homage to Columbia’s rivers, while steel accents are a nod to the city’s railroads.

“Our design team was really inspired by Robinson Gray’s passion for the city of Columbia,” Ike Lowry, Perkins&Will senior interior project designer, said in the video. The firm drew inspiration from early city planning diagrams emphasizing the “extreme order” of the city’s grid layout, he said.

The Wi-Fi-equipped rooftop terrace includes a trellis which will shade

a large outdoor conference table when the remainder of the outdoor furniture arrives, Watson said. The terrace overlooks the former hospital chapel, being renovated into a food hall, with Segra Park, home of the Columbia Fireflies, stretching off to the left.

Back inside, knotted pine walls connect banks of glass windows at the back of the building, and “collaboration corners” provide small gathering spaces. On the fourth floor, two reading nooks face the sun, with cozy chairs and shelves of law books offer an inviting research space.

Such details were discussed during a Robinson Gray retreat attended by Perkins&Will architects early in the design process, said Irene Vogelsong, Perkins&Will associate principal.

“By really investing the time initially in the process, we were able to identify our goals, get ahead of any potential risks, and truly design a space that was both intentional and tailored to Robinson Gray’s mission,” Vogelsong said.

The result is an eye-catching structure with details that emphasize connectivity.

“It’s a neat, cool, innovation modern workspace, but it’s not luxurious,” Watson said. “It’s very practical and it emphasizes the things that we want to emphasize, which are community and efficiency and collaboration and interfacing with each other and our clients.

“This is not elaborate. It’s very simple. It’s just really cool.”

The Prisma education. building. (Rendering/McMillan

The WestLawn features 10-foot windows that maximize light and steel accents to highlight Columbia’s railroad ties. (Photo/Joshua Aaron Photography)

A rooftop terrace overlooks Columbia and the former state hospital chapel. (Photo/Melinda Waldrop)

GTC building $70M hub for health science studies

By Ross Norton rnorton@scbiznews.com

Prisma Health powered a groundbreaking ceremony at Greenville Technical College Oct. 5 with a $1.5 million gift to support construction of a new building where students will pursue the education that leads them to careers in health care.

The building, which will be known as the Prisma Health Center for Health & Life Sciences, will be the hub of general education instruction as well as the center point for students in the health sciences.

The $70 million three-story structure will encompass 125,000 square feet at the heart of the Barton Campus on Pleasantburg Drive. Greenville Tech President Keith Miller said the building will impact 90% of the college’s students and welcome 150,000 visitors annually as it serves 500-600 health science graduates that enter the workforce each year.

Prisma Health, one of the state’s largest employers, hires more Greenville Tech graduates than any other organization.

Dr. Jonathan Gleason, executive vice president and chief clinical officer for Prisma Health, said the new building will have a positive effect on health care throughout the state.

“The opportunity to build on this strategic partnership, to improve the health and wellness in the state of South Carolina, is the logical next step in our relationship,” Gleason said. “I’m thrilled to be here on behalf of the Prisma Health team to share with you today that Prisma Health is deepening its partnership with Greenville Technical College.”

Prisma Health earlier this month announced a $5 million program with five state colleges to address a nursing shortage.

“We’re committed to improving the state of health in South Carolina; that’s why we’re here,” Gleason said at the event. “And a strong pipeline of health care workers is mission critical for us.”

The building was designed by McMil-

lan Pazdan Smith and the builder selected is Harper General Contractors.

The building design will feature glass cutouts that allow for a look at science in action, according to a news release. It will include suites for medical imaging, ultrasound, radiological technology and other health science disciplines. An “anatomage lab” will feature virtual dissection tables with interactive, live-touch screens.

Non-classroom spaces include conversation rooms, study carrels and outside seating to encourage students to stay after class “because we know that what happens outside of the classroom is as important as what happens inside,” Greenville Tech President Keith Miller said.

“We know that now we need to create flexible and dynamic space because there are a lot of different learning styles that weren’t necessarily present 60 years ago (when the college started), or we didn’t understand it as well as we do today,” Miller said. “So we’re certainly excited to bring this building to fruition to help us address all those different learning styles.”

Gov. Henry McMaster attended the ceremony, calling Greenville Technical College a gold mine that is always responding to provide the workforce the state’s employers need. Life sciences, he said, are one key to an economically robust South Carolina.

“This life science industry right now has a $12 billion impact on our state,” he said.

“There are 1,033 life science companies operating right now in South Carolina. There are 30,700 South Carolinians employed in the life science sector. This is the fastest — the life science sector — growing on the Southeastern and the Southeast is where the action is. And we saw an $819 million in export sales in medical instruments and pharmaceutical products in 2021.”

McMaster said he asked for and received from the S.C. Legislature $49 million for workforce scholarships for 2022 to support high demand job training through the S.C. Technical College System.

Contact Ross Norton at 864-720-1222.

The Prisma Health Center for Health & Life Sciences will house the health disciplines as well as general education. Greenville Tech President Keith Miller said 90% of the school’s students will spend time in the building. (Rendering/McMillan Pazdan Smith)

Those are the ones built with the newer codes. The upgrades that have been made over the past 30 years are really helping to save houses. Are they eliminating damage completely? No, but they are preventing houses from exploding and disintegrating in the wind.”

Hood said a few key changes to the way homes are built have made all the difference. More than 30 years ago, for instance, most houses were held together with nails. These days entire houses are strapped together from roof to foundation to help preserve the entire structure’s integrity in the event of high winds.

Along the coast, codes require that windows be built to withstand winds of 110 mph or higher, which technically means a window should be able to withstand something like a 2 x 4 being thrown at it at that wind speed, Hood said. That requirement reduces the shattered glass left to clean up when windows are hit by flying debris.

These hurricane-proofing techniques aren’t just being implemented in the coastal counties, either. “We’re basically doing the same precautions all over the state, because in a hurricane zone like South Carolina, the coast might take the brunt, but a big powerful storm is going to end up affecting the whole state,” Hood said. “We saw that back in 1989 with Hugo when Sumter, Columbia and places as far inland as Rock Hill and Charlotte received severe damage.”

More customers are expressing concerns about building homes that can withstand severe storms and other natural disasters and seeking proactive ways to protect their home, said Ben Ward, project manager for McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, which has offices in Columbia, Charleston, Greenville and Spartanburg.

“We’re seeing more concern about disasters all around the state,” Ward said. “Of course, most of it is on the coast, but that’s changing as we get savvier clients that have an understanding of changing weather pattens and as a result have an interest in what can be done to mitigate a disaster.”

Ward said the word “resilience” has become key in planning designs of new

homes and buildings, especially along the coast. “Resilience has taken on a strong importance in South Carolina’s architectural community,” he said. “A lot of states are more focused on building sustainable structures, but those are states that might not be as disaster-prone as South Carolina. Here, we need to combine resilience with sustainability.”

Ward said he recommends homeowners consider a series of protocols

called Fortified, a program run by the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety and offered by many building contractors. There are three levels of Fortified safety plans available for both residential and commercial structures.

“We strongly encourage clients to consider options that go above and beyond the codes,” Ward said. “If you build a home to a Fortified standard, you’re much more prepared for natural

disasters. The cost comes up, but it’s a minor investment up front, brings savings on insurance premiums and can help you have a quicker turnaround after a disaster hits.”

Ward said the Fortified programs include additions like extra wood blocking put into walls, roof construction built to a higher wind load standard than most building codes, and nonfl ammable exteriors to protect homes against wildfires. He noted that many coastal communities have raised the base flood elevation requirements for new buildings to combat storm surges and river flooding.

South Carolina has put an increased focus on resilience in construction and infrastructure, Ward said. In 2019, the state formed the South Carolina Office of Resilience, focused on increasing resilience to disaster in communities, reducing or eliminating long-term loss risks and lessening the impact of future disasters.

“As a member of the American Architectural Association, we’ve been providing assistance to that office as asked by the state,” Ward said. “It’s awesome that they’re focusing on this issue.”

M.B. Kahn acquires Virginia-based construction company

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Columbia-based general contractor M.B. Kahn Construction has finalized an agreement to acquire McKenzie Construction Corp. of Virginia Beach, Va.

The transition will be effective Nov. 1 and allow M.B. Kahn to continue expansion efforts and better serve clients in the

region, according to a news release.

“McKenzie’s company values, quality, vision, longevity and safety standards make for the perfect alliance with M.B. Kahn,” said Bob Chisholm, president of M.B. Kahn. “This acquisition allows us to expand upon both McKenzie’s success and our own success in southeastern Virginia and eastern North Carolina.”

M.B. Kahn Construction has been in operation since 1927 and is consistently

ranked as one of Engineering News-Record’s top general contractors. McKenzie Construction has been in operation since 1976, specializing in projects such as schools and public service buildings, worship facilities, and commercial office and retail buildings.

“McKenzie Construction has had the privilege of providing construction services to many valued clients over the past four decades,” said Bob McKenzie,

president of McKenzie Construction.

“The company’s success and longevity can be directly attributed to the personal commitment of each employee to provide the best possible product to those clients. That personal commitment will continue as they become part of a team with M.B. Kahn’s strong values and company reputation.”

Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.

North Central High School in Camden is one Hood Construction project built to stricter buliding codes meant to withstand severe weather. (Photo/Hood Construction)

The 202nd RED HORSE Squadron clear roads in Fort Myers Beach, Florida in response to Hurricane Ian, Sept. 30, 2022. (Photo/Senior Airman Jesse Hanson/U.S. Air National Guard)

but it’s a brings savand can turnaround programs extra wood construcload stancodes, and protect noted that have raised requirements combat storm increased construction and 2019, the Carolina Office increasing communities, long-term loss of future American we’ve been office as said. “It’s on this

Pipe company opens new Richland County facility

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

AmericanSpiralWeld Pipe Co. in Columbia recently opened a new pipe-coating facility at its location at 2061 American Italian Way off Shop Road. The new facility is a result of more than a year of planning and work, as well

as a collaboration between companies and workers around South Carolina, the U.S. and overseas.

The pipe-coating facility will increase workers’ ability to coat the steel-coil pipe produced at the plant with polyurethane, a type of pipe that is used in many water systems and other facilities, according to Patrick Hook, vice president of operations at

American SpiralWeld in Columbia.

The expansion is the result of a $12.5 million capital project and also part of a five-year strategic plan to invest $40 million and create 100 jobs at the Columbia facility, which first opened in 1999, according to Patrick Hook, vice president of operations for American Spiralweld in Columbia.

Officials with American SpiralWeld

decided to add the facility because converting the coating of the company’s pipes to polyurethane both increases durability and makes the work environment safer for workers, Hook said.

Prior to switching to polyurethane coating, American SpiralWeld’s pipes were

SSOE | Stevens & Wilkinson is excited announce that we will now be working under one brand, designing and building the future for our clients, colleagues and communities as internationally ranked architecture and engineering firm, SSOE Group. The same people delivering the same smart design solutions.

American SpiralWeld Pipe Co. recently opened a new pipe-coating facility at its plant off Shop Road to help increase production. (Photo/Christina Lee Knauss)

To learn more, visit ssoe.com.

University of South Carolina Innovation Center

See

COLUMBIA UNDER CONSTRUCTION

SPONSORED BY:

All Good Books

734 Harden St.

Developer/owner: All Good Books

Architect(s): Dewey Ervin Architectural

General contractor: McCrory Construction Engineers(s): Felkel & Hastings (mechanical); ETi Engineering (electrical); Swygert and Associates (plumbing)

Estimated completion date: First quarter 2023

This historic restoration of the Hair Building, originally constructed in 1923 and recently occupied by the Thirsty Parrot, will convert the space into a 3,000-square-foot independent bookstore. The stucco has been removed from the façade, and plans call for restoration of the historic brick appearance. New storefronts will be installed that reflect the 1965 look of the building. Roofing repairs will be made; extant windows will be reopened and restored.

Columbia Metropolitan Airport, Checked Baggage Inspection and Ticketing Improvements

3250 Airport Blvd., West Columbia

Developer/owner: Richland-Lexington Airport District

Architect(s): Miller Dunwiddie Architecture, Minneapolis

Project Manager: Foth Infrastructure & Environment, West Columbia

General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction Engineers(s): MECA (mechanical); The Ohmega Group (electrical); Foth Infrastructure & Environment, West Columbia (civil); Chao & Associates (structural)

Estimated completion date: January 2023

This project consists of a 20,000-square-foot building addition as well as renovation of and addition to the existing baggage-handling facilities, including a new baggagehandling system. The project also includes terminal renovations, exterior concrete, and internal renovations of the existing ticketing areas.

Bierkeller

600 Canalside St, Suite 109, Columbia

Developer/owner: Bierkeller Brewing Co. LLC, Columbia

Architect(s): Sherer & Associates, Columbia

General contractor: Mashburn Construction Co. Inc., Columbia

Estimated completion date: February 2023

Estimated cost: $1.13 million

This project is the upfit of a shell space which will be transformed into a 6,389-squarefoot, German-inspired brewery. Once completed, the space will house a kitchen, dining area, outdoor seating space with roll-up windows for exterior service and new restrooms.

Dorn VA Parking Garage

6439 Garners Ferry Road

Developer/owner: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District

Architect(s): Guidon Design

General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction

Estimated completion date: Summer 2023

The existing Dorn VA parking garage is getting a four-level addition adjacent to it and a fourth level above the existing third. Overall, the garage will expand from the current 246 parking spots to a new total of 591 spaces.

Dorn VA Parking Garage

6439 Garners Ferry Road

Developer/owner: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Charleston District

Architect(s): Harrell Design Group

General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction

Estimated completion date: Summer 2023

This project comprises construction of a new two-story, 16,500-square-foot rehabilitation clinic at the Dorn VA campus to support local veterans.

Griffin Chophouse

4418 Devine St.

General contractor: Sacon, Elgin

Estimated completion date: Fourth quarter 2022

A complete interior upfit is underway for the new Griffin Chophouse on Devine Street.

Gilbert High School Performing Arts Center

804 Main St., Gilbert

Developer/owner: Lexington School District One, Lexington

Architect(s): Jumper Carter Sease Architects, West Columbia

Project Manager: M. B. Kahn Construction Company

Engineers(s): Stevens & Wilkinson, (mechanical, electrical, plumbing, civil); Johnson & King Engineers (structural)

Estimated completion date: October 2022

Estimated total cost: $13 million

This addition to Gilbert High School consists of a new 800-seat performing arts center, black box theater, athletic weight room, new wrestling facility, and associated support spaces for these programs.

Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant

945 Sabal St.

Developer/owner: Bull Street Retail

Architect(s): McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

General contractor: McCrory Construction Engineers(s): Devita & Associates, Greenville (mechanical, electrical, plumbing); Davis & Floyd, Greenwood (civil); Fuller Group, Greenville (structural)

Estimated completion date: Shell completion, fourth quarter 2022

The 7,500-square-foot Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant will feature Iron Hill’s signature onsite brewing facility, with seating for approximately 250 throughout a bar area, dining room, and outdoor dining space.

Publix Super Market at Hendrix Crossing

847 Hwy. 378 West, Lexington

Developer/owner: Publix Supermarket, Lakeland, FL

Architect(s): Little Diversified, Charlotte

General contractor: McCrory Construction Company

Engineers(s): Brandt Engineering, Midlothian, VA (mechanical, electrical, plumbing); Little Diversified, Charlotte (structural)

Estimated completion date: Fourth quarter 2022

This project comprises interior renovations to an existing Publix store during ongoing operations. Included are updates to the deli kitchen facility as well as new energyefficient upgrades and overall cosmetic upgrades to the store. The project also includes enclosing the loading dock and concrete slab/ramp modifications.

QuikTrip

567 Spears Creek Road

Developer/owner: QuikTrip, Tulsa

Architect(s): Tobin, Charlotte

General contractor: McCrory Construction Engineers(s): Hoss & Brown, Lenexa, KS (mechanical, electrical, plumbing); Freeland & Kauffman, Inc., Greenville (civil); Norton & Schmidt, North Kansas City, MO (structural)

Estimated completion date: First quarter 2023

This 5,025-square-foot convenience store and gas retailer is the fifth ground-up project McCrory has worked on with national retailer QuikTrip. Located off the intersection of I-20 and Spears Creek Road, this new store features an industrial kitchen, high-end finishes throughout, and a complete landscape package.

Rosewood Apartments

2811 Rosewood Dr.

Developer/owner: Cason Development Group

Architect(s): Garvin Design Group

General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction

Estimated completion date: October 2022

The Rosewood Apartments project covers renovation of approximately 45,000 square feet of existing sanctuary and classrooms to convert them into luxury apartments as well as a 13,000-square-foot addition.

Riverbanks Zoo & Garden Aquarium and Reptile Complex

500 Wildlife Pkwy.

Developer/owner: Riverbanks Zoo & Garden

Architect(s): GLMV Architecture, Wichita, KS

General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction

Estimated completion date: October 2022

The Riverbanks Zoo Aquarium and Reptile Complex includes the interior renovation of approximately 20,000 square feet of reptile and aquarium exhibits. New themed exhibits will include a desert biome area, tropical forest, temperate forest, coral lab, and jellyfish aquarium.

Rosewood Church Redevelopment

2901 Rosewood Dr.

Developer/owner: Cason Development Group

Architect(s): Garvin Design Group

General contractor: Boyer Commercial Construction

Engineers(s): Swygert & Associates, West Columbia (mechanical, plumbing); Belka Engineering Associates, West Columbia (electrical); Mabry Engineering Associates, West Columbia (structural); LandPlan South (civil)

Estimated completion date: October 2022

This mixed-use development adapts an existing church building for use as apartments and adds new construction for retail, hospitality, and apartments. Key elements of the original church architecture remain, including the stained glass window and steeple above the main entry.

General Contractors

Ranked by No. of Contracts in 2021

Company

Mashburn Construction Co. Inc. 1820 Sumter St. Columbia, SC 29201

M.B. Kahn Construction Co. Inc. 101 Flintlake Road Columbia, SC 29223

Eurovia Atlantic Coast LLC dba Blythe 3176 Charleston Highway West Columbia, SC 29172

Reeves Construction Co. 248 Plemmons Road Duncan, SC 29334

Cohn Corp. 1556 Main St., Suite 300 Columbia SC 29201

McCror y Construction 522 Lady St. Columbia SC 29201

Solid Structures 2548 Morningside Drive West Columbia, SC 29169

Fitts & Goodwin Inc. 120 Corporate Blvd. West Columbia, SC 29169

Master Construction Co. Inc. 218 St. Peters Church Road Chapin, SC 29036

Sacon 749 Kirkland Circle Elgin, SC 29045

Chapin Commercial Construction 573 Chapin Road Chapin, SC 29036

Hill Construction Co. LLC 108 Park Terrace Drive Columbia SC 29212

Thompson Turner Construction 100 N. Main St. Sumter SC 29150

Phone / Website / Email

803-400-1000 www.mashburnconstruction.com lyarborough@mashburnconstruction.com

803-736-2950 www.mbkahn.com nstroud@mbkahn.com

803-791-1295 www.blytheconstruction.com ronald.vanvlake@eurovia.us

864-968-2250 www.reevescc.com

803-699-1325 www.cohncorporation.com info@cohnconstruction.com

803-799-8100 www.mccror yconstruction.com info@mccror yconstruction.com

803-926-0298 www.solidstructures.info sbrazell@solidstructures.info

803-796-4660 www.fittsandgoodwin.com info@fittsandgoodwin.com

803-345-8088 www.masterconstructionco.com dcayton@masterconstructionco.com

803-572-4300 www.sacon.us mailbox@sacon.us

803-771-0454 www.chapincommercialconstruction.com chad@chapincommercialconstruction.com

803-720-9225 www.hillconstructionllc.com rhill@hillconstructionllc.com

803-773-8005 www.thompsonturner.com info@thompsonturner.com

bmcdonald@buchananconstructionser

Top Local Official(s) / Year Founded

Contracts: No. / Value Employees

Lee Mashburn, Paul Mashburn 1976 40 $18,678,830

William H. Neely Robert A. Chisholm 1927 31 $169,960,097

Cody Montgomer y Ronald Van Vlake 1921 24 $32,000,000

Paul Edwards, Lee Barrack 1933 23 $16,301,000 49

Beth Frost, Harris Cohn, Brian E. Pattison 1993 20 $20,000,000 30

Area of Specialization

Offers preconstruction, construction management and design-build ser vices to historic, healthcare, education, hospitality, office, industrial, religious, public and multi-family clients; Upfit Division is devoted to smaller projects

General contracting, construction management

Highways, utility, bridges, streets and minor roads; turn key site developments and remediation of existing sites

Airports, bridges, highways, streets and minor roads, tunnels and other structures

Manufacturing, industrial, adaptive re-use, healthcare, self-storage and general commercial

Allen Bridgers, Allen B. Amsler 1918 18 $153,000,000 68 Commercial, industrial, multifamily, retail, office, construction management

Sandi Brazell 2008 15 $6,385,057 10 New construction, pre-engineered metal buildings, renovations, design-build

Justin William Poore, Joel Dutton, Thomas Fitts 1984 12 $21,000,000 48 Areas of expertise include industrial, warehousing and distribution, food and beverage processing and health care facilities construction

Eddie Fulmer 1992 12 10

Doug Hunt Ernest Hall Scot Pendleton 1986 12 24

Chad Lindler, Caroline Lindler 2018 11 $6,946,210

Amanda Strickland

Turner

Ray Hill

Pre-engineered metal buildings, design-build, conventional buildings, medical, retail, mini storage, industrial, manufacturing, office space, renovations

Commercial general contractor, plumbing, HVAC, electric

Design-build commercial contractor; retail centers, pre-engineered metal buildings, restaurants, religious and athletic facilities, office buildings, funeral homes, manufacturing facilities and other general commercial construction

commercial new construction, renovations, upfits, historical renovations,

Commercial offices, sports and entertainment, health care, retail and restaurants, hotels and convention centers, distribution and warehouses, religious and cultural, education, industrial and manufacturing

Researched by Paige Wills

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People in the News

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

The Art of Elizabeth Catlett: From the Collection of Samella Lewis, is on view at the Columbia Museum of Art through Jan. 22, 2023. Organized by Landau Traveling Exhibitions and the August Wilson Center for Afri can American Culture, the exhibition focuses on Elizabeth Catlett (1915–2012), a sculptor and printmaker con sidered to be one of the most import ant African American artists of the last century. The exhibition features more than 30 prints and sculptures that show Catlett’s artistic activism in support of women, African Americans, and Mex ican laborers. Using a stylized Mod ernist approach to figurative works, Catlett addressed such themes as Black identity, motherhood, civil rights, and labor.

BUSINESS SERVICES

Sunbelt Business Brokers coor dinated the sale of American Chillers and Cooling Tower Systems, to Amer ican Chillers. American Chillers and Cooling Tower Systems is a manufac turer of water chilling systems for a variety of commercial and industrial cooling applications. The company’s former president, Dianne Wheaton , and her late husband founded the com pany more than 20 years ago.

CONSTRUCTION

Retired Brig. Gen Charles J. Masa racchia has joined Boyer Construction as director of organizational develop ment. Masaracchia, 52, retired as an officer in the U.S. Army after 30 years of service. Commissioned as a s econd lieutenant in the infantry from Nor wich University, he served in a variety of leadership roles and participated in ten combat deployments.

DESIGN

McMillan Pazdan Smith Architec ture is among the 10 winners of the PSMJ Resources’ 2022 Premier Award for Client Satisfaction. The only desig nated award in the architecture, engi neering, and construction industry that highlights a firm’s commitment to client experience, the honor goes to recipients selected through a calcu lation of key metrics for client satis faction that are highly correlated with sustained growth and an organization’s success.

SSOE Group has appointed Robby Aull , AIA, ACHA, to its board of directors. The appointment

PEOPLE, PLACES AND HAPPENINGS ACROSS THE MIDLANDS

follows SSOE’s 2021 acquisition of Stevens & Wilkinson. As division manager, Aull works on the development of forward-looking practice groups and expert teams. He brings 31 years of experience.

EDUCATION

The University of South Carolina’s Darla Moore School of Business will explore the state’s post-Covid economic recovery and the federal government’s response to record inflation levels at the 42nd Annual Economic Outlook Conference. The event, featuring state and national political and econom ic experts, will take place on Dec. 6, 2022, at the Pastides Alumni Center. The conference will address key ques tions about a potential recession and its impact on the U.S. and South Car olina economies and include several Q&A sessions. Keynote speaker will be Barbara Melvin , South Carolina Ports CEO. Featured speakers will be Felicia Rhue Howard (’85 UofSC electrical and computer engineering, ’91 profes sional MBA), Dominion Energy vice president of economic development strategy; Daniel Rickenmann (’92 UofSC political science), Columbia mayor; Joey Von Nessen (’09 PhD in economics), research economist, Darla Moore School of Business; and Doug Woodward , division of research direc tor and professor, Darla Moore School of Business.

FINANCIAL SERVICES

AgFirst , CoBank , Farm Credit Bank of Texas , and Farmer Mac joined forces to provide $325,000 in relief aid for people hard hit by hurricanes Fiona and Ian. The four entities share a com mon mission to support rural commu nities and agriculture with financial and other services. The American Red Cross will disburse the funds.

LAW

New at Burnette Shutt & McDan iel is Annie Day Bame , who focuses her legal practice on employment law, civil rights law, and litigation. Before joining the firm, she served as a judicial law clerk for J. Michelle Childs, first at the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina and then at the U.S.

Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. She also worked for nearly a year as an attorney at anoth er Columbia firm. Bame graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina School of Law. Her honors included induction into the Order of the Wig and Robe and Cali Awards for Torts and Legal Writing for the Courts.

Amy L. B. Hill , who has practiced for more than 20 years in South Car olina, has joined Richardson Thom as in its Columbia office. Her focus is business and com mercial litigation and financial disputes, and she rep resents clients at all levels of state and federal courts in the state as well as before arbitration panels. Hill holds a bachelor of science in accounting from Clemson University and a juris doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law, whose alumni council honored her in 2013 with its Compleat Lawyer Award Silver Medallion.

Robinson Gray’s Jasmine D. Smith is a recipient of the 2022 South Caroli na Lawyers Weekly Leadership in Law Awards. An asso ciate with the firm, Smith practices in the areas of com mercial litigation, professional liability and ethics, probate and estate admin istration and litigation, and appellate advocacy, focusing on family law. The leadership awards honor attorneys statewide who have achieved success in their law practice, made contributions to society, and had an impact on the legal profession.

Moore Bradley Myers partner Stan ley L. Myers has been named a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. Myers practices personal injury, work ers’ compensation, criminal defense, and military law. He was named a Young Lawyer of the Year by the Amer ican Board of Trial Advocates and was selected by his peers as a Super Lawyer Myers is a member of the South Caroli na Bar, South Carolina Association for Justice, and the South Carolina Associ ation of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

South Carolina Lawyers Weekly has recognized Moore Bradley Myers managing partner Chris Spradley as a Leadership in Law honoree. Sprad ley, who has practiced law for more

than 20 years, leads the Saluda office, and serves as the attorney for Saluda County and other local governments. He is a member of the South Carolina Bar’s House of Del egates, ethics advi sory committee, and convention com mittee, and previously was a member of the judicial screening committee, the Lexington County Bar, Tri-Coun ty Bar, South Carolina Association for Justice, and the South Carolina Asso ciation of Criminal Defense Lawyers. In addition, he was a state prosecutor for the 11th Circuit Solicitor’s Office and was the first prosecutor for the Lexington County Multi-Agency Nar cotics Enforcement Team. A former board member of the South Carolina Association of Criminal Defense Law yers, Spradley has completed courses at the National Criminal Defense College and the National Advocacy Center.

NONPROFIT

Homeless No More’s new board chair is David Kirkpatrick , managing direc tor of South State Bank Advisory. Vice chair is Jim Christopher , Red Fox Capital Partners. Secretary is Kimberly Snipes , diversity and membership man ager at the South Carolina Bar. Returning as treasurer is Joe Wilczewski , executive director of the Boyd Foundation. Bar rie Kirk , provost of Midlands Technical College, is serving on the executive com mittee as immediate past chair. New to the board is Pamela Simmons-Beasley , Esq., a Chapter 13 trustee and former Family Shelter board member. Also on the board are Marti Bluestein , Bluestein Attorneys; Sarena Burch , Scana Corp., retired; Mary Boyd , community volun teer; Frank Cason , Cason Development Group; Bryant Davis , Richland County Department of Government and Com munity Services; Kimberly Y. Davis , Wells Fargo; Judi Gatson , WIS TV; Ste fanie L. Goebeler , Midlands Technical College; Andrea Heyward , Center for Community Health Alignment, Univer sity of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health; Jeannie Jackson-Mc Dowell , community organizer; Jane Key , retired from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmen tal Control; Lasenta Lewis-Ellis , LLE Construction Group; Linda Salane , Why Not Now Consulting and Executive Coaching; Stephany Snowden , Rich land County Sheriff’s Department; and Mark Stuckey , InterMark Management.

WREN’s new board chair is Beth

Aull

Bame

Smith

Hill

Spradley

Ruffin , owner and principal of The Everyday Inclusionist. Vice chair is Betsy Sikma , director of corporate and public relations at Milliken. Returning secretary/treasurer is Joshua Greene , vice president of syndication and analytics at Carofin.

WREN also has three new board members: Amberlyn Boiter , vice president at Pflag; Judith Burgis , MD, an obstetrician-gynecologist; and Nicole Echols , director of external affairs at HopeHealth. The board also includes Beth Richardson , past chair, member, Robinson Gray Stepp & Laffitte; Jennet Robinson Alterman, director emeritus,

owner, J. Robinson Alterman ; Frances Ashe-Goins , MD, former deputy director, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office on Women’s Health; Lesley “Lee” Coggiola , retired disciplinary counsel for the South Carolina Supreme Court; Kerri Forrest , MDC; Nichelle Harrison , director of operations at the Center for Courage &

Renewal, founder of The MAP Agency; Jennifer Kahn , community volunteer; Jane Kulbersh, community volunteer; Sally McKay, assistant dean for advancement, University of South Carolina School of Law; Diane Smock , former Greenville County probate judge, former member of Greenville City Council, retired attorney; and Ann Warner , ex officio, WREN.

Construction plans for Savannah River plutonium facility move forward

By Christina Lee Knauss cknauss@scbiznews.com

Construction on the new Savannah River plutonium processing facility at the Savannah River Site in Aiken is gearing up to begin by the end of the year.

The project moved ahead on Oct. 7 as Savannah River Nuclear Solutions entered into a project labor agreement with the Augusta Building and Construction Trades Council, comprised of 19 local unions, during a signing event at the International Union of Electrical Workers Hall, according to a news release. The agreement is in support of the new plutonium processing facility.

“This project agreement guarantees SRNS access to more than 2,500 skilled trades and craft employees,” said Will Salters, president of the Council, who signed on behalf of the local unions. “Any time our local union members can find workers in the Central Savannah River area, their families and communities benefit as well.”

Signing on behalf of SRNS was James Toler, executive vice president of capital projects for the National Nuclear Security Administration.

“I look forward to establishing long term, mutually beneficial relationships as we progress into the construction phase of this project,” Toler said.

The plutonium pit production mission is an essential part of the Administration’s long-term strategy for nuclear stockpile sustainment. The agency is responsible for maintaining and ensuring the safety, security and effectiveness of the national nuclear stockpile. Plutonium pits like the one being built at SRS play a key role in sustaining the stockpile because every nuclear weapon contains a plutonium pit, according to the release.

A neutron is injected into the weapon’s pit to start an uncontrolled nuclear fission reaction when the weapon is deployed, according to information from SRS. The plutonium pits begin to break down into other elements over time, which results in

the need to replace them periodically.

Under federal law and to meet national security requirements, NNSA must be able to produce no fewer than 80 pits per year to maintain and replenish the nuclear stockpile. Responsibilities for manufacturing those pits will be shared between two sites: Los Alamos National Laboratory in Nevada must produce 30 pits per year and SRS will be responsible for producing the remaining 50.

Once construction of the facility is completed, the plutonium pit production mission will continue to employ about 1,800 people.

Reach Christina Lee Knauss at 803-753-4327.

coated with three layers of tape to prevent corrosion.

“The tape involved a lot of handling to get it on the pipe, and it was also easily damaged,” Hook said. “Also we went to polyurethane because it promotes greater safety for our workers. With the tape, employees had to be in direct contact with the pipe on the line, and now much of the work can be done from behind protective barriers. This new system of coating could prevent someone from getting hurt.”

About 10 employees work in the polyurethane coating facility at any given time, Hook said.

The assembly lines for the polyurethane wing were manufactured by Selmers, an equipment manufacturer based in the Netherlands, with most of the equipment coming through the port at Charleston.

Hook said workers at the plant had to “moonscape” the inside of the building where the new facility is located in September 2021 to make room for the new production line.

“We had to shut that part of the plant down and what made us proud is we didn’t have to lay anyone off during the process –we kept them on board and moved them to different parts of the plant,” Hook said.

Representatives from Selmers spent time at the Columbia plant to help American SpiralWeld employees learn how to work the polyurethane coating machinery, with training ranging from hands-on experience to using virtual reality and other software to offer a three-dimension-

al perspective on how the new coating process works.

Through the new facility and other improvements at the plant, the company has also improved the time it takes to switch the assembly lines to accommodate different density of pipes.

“Before this new facility, changing from one diameter to another took 10 to 12 hours, and now that is down to a push-button process that takes no more than two to four hours,” he said.

Production at the new facility started in early September, but an official ribbon cutting for the expansion was held Sept. 29, with Gov. Henry McMaster, Richland County Council Chair Overture Walker and other community officials in attendance.

“We’re confident about the future of American SpiralWeld in Richland County and we know we’re going to continue to do great things here,” said Mike O’Brien,

vice president of sales and corporate secretary for American SpiralWeld. “When we were looking to expand the manufacture of larger diameter pipes, we looked at a lot of sites and when we looked at Richland County, it was obvious we could form a partnership which continues to expand.”

While facilities and production capacity at its Columbia plant continue to grow, American SpiralWeld is dealing with the kind of workforce shortages that are plaguing many other parts of the manufacturing sector. Hook said the plant currently employs 148 people out of 185 available positions.

The company is addressing the shortfall both by aggressive recruiting in and out of state, and planning to begin apprenticeship and internship programs in association with Midlands Technical College and other organizations statewide, Hook said.

“We’re confident about the future of American SpiralWeld in Richland County and we know we’re going to continue to do

great things here,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president of sales and corporate secretary for American SpiralWeld.

“When we were looking to expand the manufacture of larger diameter pipes, we looked at a lot of sites and when we looked at Richland County, it was obvious we could form a partnership which continues to expand.”

Founded by John J. Eagan in 1905 in Birmingham, Ala., American SpiralWeld has eight facilities in six states and manufactures steel pipe in diameters up to 44 inches. The company also makes fire hydrants, valves, and ductile iron pipe for the waterworks industry as well as high-frequency welded steel pipe for the oil and natural gas industries.

The company’s product line also includes fire pumps, structural casing and piling, castings for large machinery and specialty rubber products, according to the company website.

Hook said the bulk of the Columbia plant’s output is piping for water systems, with many of their customers being in the Northeast and Southwest. He said the added polyurethane coating enhances the longevity of the pipes, with the average age range for the product at more than 100 years.

“Our pipes go into both large new infrastructure expansion projects in the Southwest and in smaller, infrastructure updates and improvements in the Northeast,” he said.

The company’s Columbia expansion will continue in phases and is expected to be completed by 2025.

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SPIRAL WELD,

SpiralWeld’s expansion is the result of a $12.5 million capital project and part of a five-year strategic plan to invest $40 million and create 100 jobs at the Columbia facility. (Photo/Provided)

O’Brien, vice secretary expand the pipes, we we looked obvious we continues 1905 in BirSpiralWeld has manufac44 inchhydrants, the waterhigh-frequency natural gas line also casing and machinery and according to the Columbia systems, being in said the enhances the average age than 100 new infrathe Southinfrastructure updates Northeast,” he expansion expected to

Viewpoint

VIEWS, PERSPECTIVES AND READERS’ LETTERS

Educate your employees to avoid scammers and hackers

The day started out just like any other workday for Thomas. He drove to work, flashed his badge to the security guard at the front desk, said hello to his desk neighbor and settled in at his workstation to address a backlog of emails in his inbox. That’s when things went sideways.

A message from a vendor. A companywide announcement. Yet another “reply all” to an ongoing email thread. This morning’s emails were nothing out of the usual. Then a strange email caught Thomas’ eye: a request from corporate IT, asking him to update his company profile, including his date of birth, social security number, employee ID and account password.

With a pile of work to do, an all-hands meeting coming up in a few minutes and a million other things on his mind, Thomas clicked the link in the email and complied with request from IT. He moved on with his busy day without a second thought. Little did he know, Thomas had just joined countless other victims of the most widespread form of cyberattack: the phishing email.

According to Verizon’s 2021 Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR), 85% of cyberattacks last year included a human element. It is typically easier to trick a person than it is to bypass, break or hack a computer system. When cyber criminals are planning their attack, the path of least resistance often leads them to target human weakness.

Thomas is not a bad employee. He has never clicked a phishing email before and is a stellar performer. He has attended company-mandated cybersecurity training twice per year. But his failure to spot a phishing email allowed an attacker to harvest his personal and company data, leaving him and the company more vulnerable to future attacks. Further, by clicking their link, Thomas has potentially allowed the attackers to access his company’s network. This is how ransomware, malware and other crippling incidents happen.

What can be done? G.I. Joe says knowing is half the battle; the other half is training. While many companies mandate employees take time out of their schedules to attend PowerPoint-based presentations on the scary nature of the threat, rarely do businesses (outside of the Fortune 100) conduct real, meaningful training on this front. Having attended numerous slideshow presentations, I can confidently say that rarely do they “move the needle” in terms of our behavior outside of the classroom.

Here are a few features of a successful cybersecurity training and awareness program:

Managed by Third-Party Professionals

When an internal IT team decides to conduct their own security training and risk assessment, they inherently have a blind spot. It’s like asking a student to

create their own report card: will they ever give themselves an “F”? The SEAL Teams moved away from in-house training and assessment for this exact reason.

Fun, Fun, Fun!

If you’ve ever sat through a slideshow, you know the urge to nod off can be strong. To truly engage the target audience (your people), the training should be entertaining, not dry and antiseptic. This topic is too important not to be taken seriously.

Not Punitive

Our instinct as managers might be to make an example out of employees like Thomas, so that others know what not to do. This is wrong. If we squash Thomas for making a mistake, neither he nor any other members of your team will ever report possible breaches for fear of facing your wrath. We want people reporting phishing attempts and other potential sources of breach.

Automated

Too often, I hear about businesses who say they have a phishing awareness and training program, only to find out that nobody actually “owns” the program. This means it’s an afterthought that usually gets cut when other tasks get prioritized. You need a program that runs every month without requiring a time commitment from your time-strapped IT staff.

Custom

A “one-size-fits-all” approach is suboptimal when it comes to measuring your company’s risk profile. Sure, people can normally spot a generic phishing attempt (like a Starbucks gift card made out to “valued employee”), but can your CFO spot a spear phishing attempt that uses his actual personal information gathered on social media? Most of us are vulnerable in one way or another, so it is imperative that our security training program reflects our unique set of vulnerabilities.

The steady drumbeat of news stories covering the latest breaches, often of giant companies and government agencies, can leave us feeling like the fight is futile. The only way to change this narrative is to train regularly and foster a culture of “healthy paranoia” both within ourselves and our companies. If we’re going to overcome the scourge of cyberattacks, this is the only way. Nobody is coming to save us.

Jack Sterling is the co-founder of CloudHound in Greenville.

We want to hear from you

Write: Melinda Waldrop, Editor Columbia Regional Business Report, 1612 Marion St., Suite 301 Columbia, SC 29201

Email: mwaldrop@scbiznews.com

Phishing scams and other security risks are a risk faced by many companies and employees. (Photo/File)