Dillon County from SCBIZ

SUMMER 2020

Economic upheaval S.C. industries respond to unprecedented shutdown

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County Spotlight: Dillon | Trending: COVID-19 in S.C. | S.C. Delivers

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DILLON

Dillon County continues to establish itself as an important industrial hub in northeast South Carolina.

PLANNING, IMPROVEMENTS PAY DIVIDENDS FOR DILLON COUNTY

By Jim Tatum, Associate Editor | Photos provided

D

illon County continues to strengthen its position as an important industrial focal point

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in South Carolina. The county is home to

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more than 50 industries ranging from smaller local/

regional operations to larger international companies.

That industrial base continues to grow and diversify.

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Dillon County b y the

Population: ............

per Dillon County

Economic Develop

Median Household

numbers

..............................

Median House Valu

.........30,871

ment OďŹƒce

Income: ..................

e: ...........................

...... $33,011

..... $72,000 Dillon County has 12,390 people pa rticip the workforce, with a workforce turnov ating in er of around 8.8 percent and a regional labor sh ed of 528,154.

Inland port imp In the Pee Dee regio act n, $7.1 billion impact the Inland Port Dillon has a , creating 25,275 jobs. One of every 13 jobs in the Pe uted to the port an e Dee region can be attribd the SC Ports Auth ority.

Located on I-95 midway between Maine and Miami

Dillon is a competitive location for manufacturing, distribution, and agribusiness companies and is home to several major manufacturers.

dilloncounty.org 843-774-1402 Clay Young

Single day’s drive to 65% of the US population Direct access by CSX rail to the Port of Charleston Inland Port of Dillon is one of 2 inland Ports in SC

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: DILLON A drone’s eye view of one of Dillon County’s industrial sites, 95 Inland Port Logistics Center.

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“Dillon County has made the right investments and worked hard to make positive changes happen,” Economic Development Director Clay Young said. “The county started doing those things almost 20 years ago and now those investments are starting to really pay off.”

Those investments include infrastructure upgrades, road improvement, and commercial property acquisition and development. This has not only allowed development and improvement to industrial parks near I-95, it also ultimately weighed in the decision by the state to build one of two inland ports in Dillon County.

The port, Young said, is truly a game changer in Dillon County’s economic landscape.

With the opening of the port in 2018, the county is seeing

significant increases in revenues and activities.

“The port has brought in a lot of business from surrounding areas in the Carolinas and elsewhere,” Young said. “The access to the port of Charleston is extremely important in these companies’ logistics chains.”

Clay said with the COVID-19 pandemic, the county has seen a sharp dip in tourism revenues.

“We’re feeling it, definitely, we’re seeing significant dips in A-tax, H-tax, F&B taxes, most of which are generated by interstate (95) traffic,” he said.

“Everyone is experiencing that right now.”

Dillon County’s industry may have temporarily slowed, but the county is still working diligently to maintain and grow that base.

For all its progress in

parks: the I-95 Gateway Park, Northeast Commerce and Carolinas I-95 Super Park and in 2018, the establishment of the inland port in Dillon. This has attracted several industries across a wide spectrum, as well as helped existing local and regional industries thrive.

One company that noticed, early on, the potential Dillon County offered is Harbor Freight, which established its U.S. east coast distribution center there in 2001. Robby Robertson, Harbor Freight’s East Coast Distribution Center vice president, said the company originally decided

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economic development, the county remains largely rural and lightly populated compared to the rest of the state. Located in the northeastern section of South Carolina’s Pee Dee region, those who called the area home learned to improvise, and that tradition of innovation has continued throughout its history.

Dillon County was established in 1910, formed from a portion of Marion County. The county and county seat were named for James W. Dillon, a prominent businessman whose efforts in bringing railroad service to the area ushered in an era of prosperity by providing access to new markets, generating wealth and sparking positive change in a once largely isolated, sparsely populated area.

The railroad maintains its vital role today; the port is in Dillon County in large part because of the presence, activity and connectivity of CSX Railroad.

As times changed, Dillon County had to change as well. In the mid-20th century, a Dillon County businessman, Allan Schaeffer, would take advantage of the county’s

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: DILLON

location at what is essentially the halfway point between New York and Florida and built what would become one of the most iconic, successful tourist attractions in the country, South of the Border.

With its strategic location on I-95, ample four-lane secondary highways, nearby rail access, and proximity to the ports of Charleston, Dillon County has continued to make focused investments in itself and form important partnerships to further its economic development goals. This has resulted in the building and development of three industrial

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COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: DILLON Inland Port Dillon has provided a $7.1 billion economic impact to the Pee Dee area. (Photo/file)

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living is about 84 percent of the national average, with median home prices around $72,000. However, the county’s proximity to Florence, Myrtle Beach and Columbia offers nearby access to amenities typically available in a larger urban area.

Dillon County boasts numerous parks, playgrounds, ballfields and tennis courts and outdoor recreational opportunities.

The county is home to popular cultural events such as the Spring Fest and Celebrate Main Street festivals and amenities such as the Dillon House Museum and the Ellis Performing Arts Center. Two public school systems serve Dillon County and Northeast Technical College, Florence/ Darlington Technical College and Francis Marion University are also nearby and accessible for those seeking quality college and technical education opportunities.

“Dillon County is a great place to do business and to enjoy a good quality family life,” Young said. “We’ve got it all.”

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: DILLON

on Dillon County due to its location on I-95, its proximity to Charleston and Wilmington and its available work force.

Over the years, the company has thrived, growing from one 500,000-square-foot building to multiple buildings representing a total of 3 million square feet on 265 acres. With some 1,500 employees, it is the county’s largest employer.

But just as important, the community was a strong match for the company’s values, Robertson said.

“Dillon is a community that is close knit and supportive of its members and that is very much in line with our values,” Robertson said. “We feel very much at home here.

As we approach the end of our second decade here, we continue to hire and to grow.

And we can’t think of any place better to do so than Dillon County, South Carolina.”

While Dillon County continues its journey into a brighter future, its small town/rural atmosphere makes for a pleasant and affordable quality of life. Cost of

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