Spring 2016
Starring attraction Tourism industry pulls in billions for S.C. economy
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County Spotlight: Kershaw | Cities Mean Business | 2016 South Carolina Business Hall of Fame
county spotlight
KERSHAW
This Camden neighborhood is one of many real estate options in Kershaw County. Below: The Carolina Cup is held every spring at the Springdale Race Course, a premier equine facility.
HISTORY, HORSES, HOSPITALITY AND THRIVING BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY By Jenny Peterson, Staff Writer | Photography by Kershaw County Economic Development Office
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onveniently located between the Midlands, Central and Pee Dee Regions of South Carolina is rapidly growing Kershaw County. Named for the region’s founder and earliest trade investor – Joseph Kershaw – the county has an aggressive economic development strategy that continues to attract business and industry, and today boasts an ever expanding tourism enterprise. At its heart is the city of Camden, established in 1791 and the oldest inland city in the state. The county seat, Camden is one of the top elite equestrian communities in the country, featuring a thriving equine industry built on more than 200 years of American tradition.
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Kershaw Coun by the numbersty Population................ .......................63,2 56 AFFORDABLE QU ALITY OF LIFE Median single-fami ly house........ $147 ,700 Average two-bedroo m monthly apartmen t rental........$500$650 Source: Kershaw Co unty Economic Development, 2014 data
COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: KERSHAW
The Haier America expansion in August 2015 brought Gov. Nikki Haley to Kershaw County.
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Lake Wateree adds outdoor appeal to the Kershaw County lifestyle with fishing, boating and camping. Boats line the dock at the Lake Wateree Sailing Club.
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Dotted with small communities, agricultural pasture lands, horse farms and a multitude of historic sites spanning three centuries, Kershaw County also has some of the regions’ most popular recreational attractions – Lake Wateree, the Wateree River and pristine wilderness areas. The South Carolina state dog, the Boykin Spaniel, was born and bred in Boykin, one of the small towns in Kershaw County. Throughout the county visitors encounter both Revolutionary and Civil War battle sites, exceptional museums, a variety of historic touring, shopping, and dining experiences all within 30 miles of the state capital. Alongside the historic homes and farms are a robust manufacturing sector and trained workforce that are growing and expanding. In 2015, Kershaw County saw over $200 million in investments and over 500 jobs created. Diverse national and international companies operate in Kershaw County, which is gaining attention for its combination of Special Advertising Section
affordability, quality of life and businessfriendly incentives.
Open for business Kershaw County is steeped in manufacturing history, with the textile industry as the backbone of the community in the 1950s. Many of the county’s original textile mills have been updated and are still in use. INVISTA, which manufactures nylon fibers for the flooring industry, operates in the former DuPont May plant and continues to be one of the county’s largest private sector employers. “We have a wonderful manufacturing base because we have a ‘manufacturing attitude’ among our workforce,” said Peggy McLean, Kershaw County Economic Development director. Major employers come from the global and U.S. market and include: • Target Distribution Center, with 580 employees
Hengst of North America, 255 employees TB Kawashima USA, 213 employees Suominen Nonwovens, 185 employees Medtronic, 175 employees Kershaw County’s manufacturing companies produce automotive textiles, appliances, chemicals, medical products, carpet fibers, agricultural feed, copper foil and automobile filters among other products. International companies have plants in Kershaw County. The county offers a strategic location with easy access to I-20 to Atlanta, I-77 to Charlotte and I-26 to Charleston. “We’re well-positioned for industry with convenient availability to land, sea and air access to U.S. and world markets,” McLean explained. Kershaw County offers several choices in locations for companies looking to expand or relocate with move-in ready facilities at four industrial parks. Major sites include Central South Carolina MegaSite, with more than 1,400 acres; Steeplechase Industrial Park; and Heritage Pointe Industrial Park, which holds the 168,000-square-foot former SC Yutaka building. “Each site comes with infrastructure, power, water and sewer,” said Julian Burns, Kershaw County Council chairman. The county council recently approved $17 million in bonds to continue to improve those sites and construct spec buildings to attract more companies. “We’ve invested in ourselves and continue to grow,” Burns said. He said Kershaw County offers one of the lowest business and property tax rates in the state. The county also offers customized incentive packages.
COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: KERSHAW
An affordable quality of life—with plenty of horses—can be found in Camden.
Central Carolina Technical College turns out a qualified workforce. The Kershaw County Economic Development Office is located inside one of the buildings on campus.
The Kershaw County Economic Development Office is another advantage, actively recruiting businesses and having the permitting know-how to get businesses open quickly. That assistance was a game changer for one company, Suominen Nonwovens, headquartered in Finland, which manufactures nonwoven products such as baby wipes for top companies like Pampers. When choosing where to locate in 2011, plant manager Darryl Fournier said the
company chose Kershaw County because the moving-in process was so streamlined for them. “The Kershaw County Economic Development Office went out of their way to work with our management team. They were an intermediary with the state with a fast turnaround and had a clear desire to want us to come to the area.” In June 2015, Suominen Nonwovens announced an expansion with 25 new jobs and $55.5 million in capital investment.
Trained workforce With a county population of just over 63,000 in Kershaw County and more than 320,000 people within a 30-minute commute, “our industries can look forward to a growing workforce to keep pace with their own growth,” McLean said. From 2000 to 2010, Kershaw County’s population increased by 17%. The county works closely with industries on workforce needs and partners with the readySC program to
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COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: KERSHAW An employee uses technology on the job at the Target Distribution Center in Kershaw County.
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produce qualified, well-trained employees. More than 4,600 employees in Kershaw County have been trained through the program. Central Carolina Technical College in Camden offers a wide range of certifications, degrees and training rooms that can
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be tailored to meet industry needs, especially in advanced manufacturing and welding. Kershaw County is also close to the University of South Carolina, South Carolina State University, Allen University, Benedict College, Columbia College and USC Sumter. The county’s 19 public schools focus on
technology-driven curriculum, McLean said. The Applied Technology Education Campus (ATEC) in Camden provides career and technology education to students throughout the district in grades 10-12, with a focus on mechatronics, mechanical engineering, electronics, information technology and intelligent systems. McLean adds, “Mechatronics is the biggest need in our industry today—workers who have the mechanical, electrical and IT skills and range of abilities to work, repair and maintain the equipment. Our mechatronics program is a feeder for maintenance technicians.” Kershaw County is also home to Camden Military Academy for grades 7-12, which draws students from all over the world. “We have outstanding resources from which to draw labor resources,” McLean said. Fournier, at Suominen Nonwovens, said the county’s central location allows for a larger workforce pool from nearby areas, including Columbia and Florence. “Employees are loyal and we have very low turnover,” Fournier said.
The S.C. Equine Park in Camden averages 35 major events each year.
Eye on the future The manufacturing industry continues
to be a strong presence in Kershaw County and the economic development department is looking to attract even more diversified industries. “We’re looking for advanced manufacturing companies because we have the workforce that can definitely support that,” McLean said. She adds that there is also a great sense of pride in place among residents and they are very welcoming to new members of the community. “People in our community are proud to live here and take care of what we have.”
COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: KERSHAW
South Carolina’s premier equine events and venues, including the popular springtime Carolina Cup and fall’s Colonial Cup. “Our South Carolina Equine Park is a phenomenal equine facility, averaging 35 major events each year, involving more than 3,000 horses and 10,000 participants and spectators. This includes competitions such as hunter-jumpers or Western and dressage. It’s very much a part of the fabric of the community,” McLean said.
Quality of life
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Kershaw County provides a diverse and affordable quality of life. Lake Wateree, with more than 13,000 surface acres and 242 miles of shoreline, is a year-round favorite of campers, fishermen, recreational boaters, and homeowners. “Hunting and fishing and a huge lake with proximity to our urban area makes quality of life just superb,” said council Chairman Burns. With the median cost of a single-family house at $147,700, a high quality of life is affordable in Kershaw County. “There’s a wide range of all price points, including executive housing,” McLean said. Family-friendly amenities include a number of active neighborhood communities and recreation programs. KershawHealth is a comprehensive health care system with a 121-bed acute care facility and women’s center in Camden. It was founded by local citizens in 1913 as the Camden Hospital. KershawHealth was one of only seven hospitals in the state to receive the 2015 Safe Surgery hospital designation. History enthusiasts can also enjoy the rich history in the area including the Battle of Boykin’s Mill Civil War skirmish site and Historic Camden that offers a view of life during the early days of settlement and the Revolutionary War.
Horses
A unique aspect of Kershaw County is the popularity and history of the equine industry. Dubbed the “Steeplechase Capital of the World,” the area is home to many of Special Advertising Section
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