Laurens County from SCBIZ

WINTER 2021

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LAURENS

Birds-eye view of one of Laurens County’s biggest events, Squealin’ on the Square.

(Photos/Laurens County Economic Development Corp.)

COMING INTO ITS OWN

LAURENS COUNTY OFFERS CENTRAL LOCATION, QUALITY OF LIFE

By Jim Tatum

L

ong known as a desirable place to enjoy an easy-going quality of life, Laurens County is cementing a reputation as a go-to place for industry in South Carolina. With its strategic location in and

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ready access to all that Upstate South Carolina offers, coupled with a rich

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history, diverse and impactful education opportunities, and businessfriendly climate, Laurens County is taking a seat at South Carolina’s economic development table.

Credit that to the efforts of many people, notes Laurens County Council Chair Brown Patterson. For example, Laurens County has worked hard Special Advertising Section

Laurens County by the numbers

Population: 67,883 Median household

income: $47,000

Unemployment rate

: 4.5%

Source: U.S. Cens us Bureau

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: LAURENS

to turn the extreme negative of the pandemic into an opportunity to not only plan ahead but ensure that all possible players and voices are on board and working together. This includes the county, municipalities,

school districts, Chamber of Commerce, and the Laurens County Economic Development Corporation, to name a few.

“During COVID, we started doing Zoom meetings and we worked hard

The Laurens Walmart Distribution Center, built in 1989, covers 1.8 million square feet and now employs over 850 workers.

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to make sure everyone had a seat at the table,” Patterson said. “Since then, we have worked to keep doing that, to make sure everyone is on the same page — and it’s paying off.”

Indeed, among the companies that call Laurens County home include CCL Label, GE, Michelin, Milliken, Setterstix, Sterilite, Walmart Distribution, and ZF Transmissions. And more are in the works, say county economic development officials.

Laurens County boasts a number of economic development advantages, starting with a healthy and welcoming business climate.

Eric Pritchard, COO/President of Setterstix, said the company made the decision to relocate there after Special Advertising Section

Musgrove Mill Plantation offers a wide variety of recreational opportunites, including a popular 18hole golf course.

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: LAURENS

One of several five-story tubes of plastic at the ISO Flex Packaging plant in Gray Court.

Located in the northwest corner of Laurens County, with access to Interstate 385. Geographic location near cities such as Greenville, Spartanburg and Columbia. We are located only 30 miles from the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport. doris.hamilton@townofgraycourt.sc.gov Special Advertising Section

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83 years in business in Western New York.

“We wanted to be closer to our paper source, and export logistics here are better. This setting creates greater opportunities for growth in the international market.”

But the fact that Laurens County really went the extra mile to see that Setterstix would come there was an important factor as well, he noted.

“Laurens County has been very helpful — they did everything they could to get us here, and that is greatly appreciated,” Pritchard said.

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COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: LAURENS www.scbizmag.com

With amenities such as interstate highway access and proximity to ports, airports and major metro areas such as Atlanta, Charlotte and Chattanooga, industries in Laurens County can easily access many markets in much less time.

Laurens County is home to seven quality industrial parks, with available shovel-ready sites and speculative buildings: Hunter Industrial Park, Clinton Corporate Park, Laurens County Professional Park, Owings Industrial Park, Woodfield Industrial Park, Clinton 26 Commerce Park, and the Connexial Center.

The county’s newest industrial park, the Connexial Center, boasts

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Top, kayaking on Lake Rabon. Opportunities for outdoor recreation abound in Laurens County. Above, Laurens County’s newest industrial park, the Connexial Center, which boasts more than 450 developable acres and a recently completed 150,000-square-foot speculative building.

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: LAURENS

Offices serving Georgia & the Carolinas

Bow Still (843) 834-0020 Bill Bradshaw (803) 429-8009

Connexial Center Laurens, South Carolina

150,000 SF

PRECAST SPEC. BUILDING JDavisGC.com jdavisgc.com

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some 450 developable acres and a 150,000-square-foot speculative building.

Located less than 40 miles from Greenville, an hour to Columbia, two hours from Charlotte and three hours from Atlanta, Laurens County not only has access and proximity to major hubs and markets, it also is within a 45-minute drive for a workforce of some 578,000.

Workforce development is another important aspect of Laurens County’s economic development efforts, and one of the most important assets to the county’s workforce development is the Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CAM). A public-private partnership between Piedmont Technical College, the Piedmont Technical College Foundation, county and municipal governments, the LCDC and local industries, the CAM is a 28,000-square-foot training space that houses a variety of training programs, work space and other educational amenities designed especially to help the manufacturing workforce augment and improve their job skills and knowledge. In addition, PTC offers apprenticeship opportunities through local businesses and dual enrollment courses with Laurens County high schools.

Upstate South Carolina is a hot area for growth and Laurens County offers an affordable quality of life, so it’s not surprising to learn that between 2012 and 2015 Laurens County boasted the second highest growth rate in the nation. In 2020, despite the pandemic, more than $56 million in capital investment and more than 200 new jobs were announced. And in 2021, some 861 jobs and $307.4 million in capital investment has been announced thus far.

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COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: LAURENS www.scbizmag.com

Top, Laurens County boasts best-in-class rail service for a range of commodities. Right, Historic downtown Clinton is designated as a national historic place.

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Laurens County offers a slowerpaced, small town feel while at the same time being close to more urban amenities. Some 68,000 people call Laurens County home. There are three cities, Laurens (county seat), Clinton and Fountain Inn and four incorporated towns, Cross Hill, Gray Court, Ware Shoals and Waterloo. The cost of living is around 89 percent of the national average.

Laurens County offers a wide array of educational opportunies, from high-achieving public school districts to high-quality private and charter schools, from state of the art technical programs to college/ university opportunities. PTC offers many dual enrollment, apprentice, and technical training opportuniSpecial Advertising Section

COUNTY SPOTLIGHT: LAURENS

ties. In fact, one of Laurens County’s most important education and workforce efforts, the CAM, is one of PTC’s eight locations. The 28,000-square-foot training space, which opened in 2012, houses CNC, CMM, Welding and Mechatronics labs and classrooms, along with Providing Safe Drinking Water Providing flexible training space that local Excellent Customer Service Wastewater Treatment industry can use to collaborate with Supporting Economic Development Offering PTC. Recreational Opportunities Preparing for the Future Presbyterian College and the University of South Carolina-Laurens offer traditional two- and fouryear college level degree programs, attracting students from across the country and the world.

The mission of Laurens County Water & Laurens County is close to “big Sewer Commission is to ensure that our city” amenities, but also offers many customers are provided with a sustainable supply of safe, quality drinking water opportunities for shopping, recand to provide environmentally sound reation and leisure close to home. wastewater collection and treatment services.

Numerous county and municipal parks are conveniently located 864-682-3250 • 800-358-3445 • 3850 Highway 221 • Laurens, SC “LIKE” US Facebook.com/LCWSC www.LCWSC.com • throughout the county. The largely rural nature of the area guarantees some of the most beautiful scen- LCSWC-21.10.11-SC Biz Mag 4.625x4.625 Ad_FINAL.indd 1 ery in South Carolina, as well as a wide variety of outdoor activities, from boating at Lake Rabon or Lake Greenwood, fishing on the Enoree and Saluda rivers, golf at Musgrove Mill, or any of a number of festivals and events, such as the popular annual Squealin’ On The Square barbecue festival, held throughout the year within the county, there’s Whether a high school student wants to get a jumpstart on their bachelor’s something for everyone. degree, or work toward a career after But the most important factor, graduation, Piedmont Technical College Patterson noted, is the people. can help meet their educational goals. Plus, South Carolina residents taking at least 6 credit “This is a beautiful, wonderful hours in a semester (generally at least two classes), place to live — that goes without at their high school, on our campus, or online, will attend tuition-free. saying,” Patterson said. “I think newSEE WHAT’S OFFERED IN LAURENS COUNTY: comers just won’t find a friendlier, • Middle College more welcoming place — the people • Emergency Medical Technician who live here are just the best.”

• Health Science

10/14/21 12:28 PM

TUI TIO N-F REE

EXPECT

COLLEGE CLASSES IN HIGH SCHOOL CLASSES YOU CAN

COMPLETE FROM

ANYWHERE www.ptc.edu

HVAC Technology Machine Tool Technology Mechatronics Technology Welding

For more information on dual enrollment, visit www.ptc.edu/dual.

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