BIG WIN FOR WILLISTON

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1 SouthernCarolina Regional Development Alliance 1321 Technology Drive Barnwell, SC IN THIS ISSUE Crane Operations...Cover UNITECH...Cover International Program...2 Economic Development Director...2 Historic Agreement...3 SCEDS Grads...4 Certified Business Ready...5 From Our Allies...6 SCA Congress...7 Brooker Congrats...10 SCA Legislative...11 UniTech Services Group (UniTech) has announced an expansion of their operations at their Barnwell, South Carolina facility, creating 50 additional jobs. The nuclear services subsidiary of UniFirst Corporation, UniTech is the world s largest provider of radiological laundry and protective wear programs, and currently employs more than 100 at the Barnwell, South Carolina facility located at the S.C. Advanced Technology Park. We are pleased to announce that we are able to create new jobs in the Barnwell BIG WIN FOR WILLISTON Gov. Mark Sanford, the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Barnwell County and SCANA have announced that Crane Co. will consolidate its North American vending operations into its Dixie-Narco facility in Williston, South Carolina. The consolidation of the North American vending operations to South Carolina has the potential to increase employment at the Barnwell County facility by 1,000 jobs over the next five years, and hiring is expected to begin within the next 14 months. Crane Co. will invest approximately $20 million over time in its Williston facility to increase operations. In today s highly competitive global economy, our state s ability to attract jobs of this magnitude and grow our existing businesses is critical. The announcement that Crane Co. will consolidate its North American manufacturing operations to its Dixie-Narco facility in Barnwell County is also a reminder of the importance of Crane to Expand Operations focusing our efforts on improving the business climate here with fundamental reforms that encourage economic growth. As well, our focus on regulatory efforts like workers comp reform, tort reform and lower taxes, has created an environment that allows our existing businesses, like Dixie-Narco, to be more competitive during these challenging economic times. We remain committed to continuing these efforts to encourage growth and create opportunity for more South Carolinians, said Gov. Mark Sanford. Secretary Joe Taylor added, Crane Co. s decision to invest in and grow its Williston operations is an extremely positive reflection of the state s business-friendly environment and an indication that our commitment to the business fundamentals is working to encourage growth in rural areas of our state despite today s difficult economic climate. This job Continued on page 9 UNITECH ANNOUNCES NEW JOBS Expansion Will Create 50 Jobs at Barnwell Facility community by streamlining our operations nationally and consolidating services. UniTech has achieved success with our Barnwell area workforce, and we look forward to expanding operations there to position our company for growth, said Paul Manley, national director of operations for UniTech. UniTech has been an industry leader with over 200 years of nuclear protective wear laundry experience. The company s decision to expand its business in South Carolina is a strong testament that the state s business-friendly climate and skilled workforce are again working to grow existing businesses and encourage new job creation. This announcement is also another positive reflection of the SouthernCarolina Alliance and strength of the local economic development community. The SouthernCarolina Alliance has been innovative and forward-thinking and their leadership is paying dividends to the region with a great record of attracting new jobs and investments, said Joe Continued on page 8

2 HAMPTON COUNTY NAMES NEW ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Hampton County has announced that Sandy S. Fowler has been hired as the Economic Development Director for the County, filling the position formerly held by Dr. William Small, who recently retired. As Director, Fowler will coordinate economic development efforts for Hampton County, which will entail working directly with the county economic development commission, county council, industry and community leaders, the S.C. Department of Commerce and SouthernCarolina Alliance, the regional economic development organization. A leader in workforce development issues, Fowler has served as Workforce Development Director for the Lowcountry Workforce Investment Area since 1999 and has diverse experience in working with the business community, manufacturers, and local, state, and federal government agencies. A former member of the Colleton County Development Board, Ms. Fowler was named the 2007 Administrator of the Year by the S.C. International Association of Workforce Professionals and was honored as the 1997 S.C. Ambassador for Economic Development for Colleton County. I look forward to working with our business and community leaders in Hampton County and throughout the region, said Fowler. Working with the Sandy Fowler Hampton County team presents an opportunity to truly make a difference in the quality of life of our citizens by growing our economy and community. I believe we have some great opportunities ahead of us. A graduate of the Economic Development Institute at the University of Oklahoma and a graduate of the S.C. Economic Developers School at the College of Charleston, Ms. Fowler earned her degree from the University of South Carolina. A former business owner, she founded and operated Software Unlimited in Walterboro from Ms. Fowler may be reached at sfowler@hamptoncountysc.org. INTERNATIONAL MARKETING EFFORTS INCLUDE MEETING WITH CONSUL GENERAL As part of our international marketing program, SouthernCarolina Alliance hosted a luncheon meeting with Dr. Lutz Hermann Görgens, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, who visited the S.C. Advanced Technology Park on January 22. Dr. Görgens discussed German American economic development opportunities with the SCA team, led by our International Marketing Associate, John McCahill and Marketing and Special Projects Manager Kay Maxwell. Joining SCA for the meeting were Norm Voss, President and CEO of Kronotex USA; Ed Burgess, Consultant to SCA on Marketing and Economic Development; Brad Samuel, SCANA Economic Development and Marketing Team; Paul Manley, Operations Director of Unitech Services Group; and Max von Tippelskirch, Assistant to the Chairman, Krono Holding AG. SCA has been working with the Consul General, the German American Trade Association, the German American Chamber of Commerce, the US Chamber of Commerce, the S.C. Department of Commerce, and several European trade associations in our international lead generation program. In May, SCA will be conducting a marketing mission to Germany with industrial prospects, including those at the Interzum and Ligna International Trade Shows in Cologne and Hanover. SCANA will participate as our corporate marketing partner in this mission. Pictured, L-R: Mr. Max von Tippelskirch, Assistant to the Chairman, Krono Holding AG; Mr. John McCahill, International Marketing Advisor for SouthernCarolina Alliance; Dr. Lutz Hermann Görgens, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany; Mr. Norm Voss, President and CEO, Kronotex USA; Mr. Paul Manley, Operations Director, UniTech Services Group; Mr. Brad Samuel, Marketing and Economic Development Team, SCANA Corporation. Participants not pictured here were Ed Burgess and Kay Maxwell. page 2

3 HISTORIC AGREEMENT TO GIVE INDUSTRIES REGIONAL TAX INCENTIVE TO INVEST IN COUNTIES Counties Sign Historic Multi-County Revenue Sharing Agreement Leaders from 4 counties met for a ceremonial signing to commemorate the historic multi-county agreement recently passed by the county councils of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell and Hampton Counties. Pictured in the photo are county councilmen and chairmen during the time the agreement was passed: Front Row, L-R: Chris Wilson, Chairman of Bamberg County Council; Bill Robinson, Chairman of Allendale County Council; Hugh Gray, Chairman of Hampton County Council; Lowell Jowers, Chairman of Barnwell County Council. Back Row, L-R: Rose Elliott, Bamberg County Administrator; Alzena Robinson, Bamberg County Councilman; Sabrena Posey-Graham, Hampton County Administrator; Kay Still, Chairman of SouthernCarolina Alliance; Carl Gooding, Allendale County Councilman; Isaiah Odom, Bamberg County Councilman; and Jim Kearse, Barnwell County Councilman. The chairmen of four county councils met in Hampton on Friday, December 12, for the signing of a multicounty revenue sharing agreement, which states that the citizens of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell and Hampton Counties will share the tax revenue from future economic development projects in the region. The agreement, which had been duly passed by each of the four county councils during Fall 2008, was initiated to strengthen collaboration among the counties and provide an additional incentive to companies to bring their jobs to the Southern Carolina region of South Carolina. According to Allendale County Council Chairman Bill Robinson, This agreement is historic because our four county councils have agreed that we will share the tax revenue on qualified economic development projects, working as a team as we compete with other communities around the globe. Barnwell County Councilman Lowell Jowers, who was Council Chairman at the time, added, Our cooperation as a region is even more important because of the rural nature of our area. By working together and marketing ourselves as the Southern Carolina region, we are able to offer a regional workforce and resources, which each county couldn t do alone. The counties of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell and Hampton Counties have a combined population of 71,771, according to the most recent population estimates. Job creation and capital investment are critical to expanding our tax base and improving our services at the local level, said Bamberg County Council Chairman Chris Wilson. This agreement allows our county to benefit from every project in the region and increases our marketing appeal to prospective industries. In addition to allowing all four counties to receive a portion of the tax revenue from both large and small economic development projects, the agreement provides an attractive incentive to industries, which, under S.C. law, can qualify for an additional tax incentive per employee on projects which are multicounty. Our work ethic, our proximity to the ports, and our great transportation routes make our region second to none, said Hampton County Council Chairman Hugh Gray. This multi-county agreement gives us another competitive edge in industrial recruitment while providing each of the four counties with another source of revenue. Kay Still, Chairman of SouthernCarolina Alliance, the regional economic development organization representing the four counties, joined the county council chairmen for the ceremonial signing of the agreement at Hoover s Station in Hampton on December 12. Several other county council members including Reverend Isaiah Odom and Alzena Robinson of Bamberg County, Jim Kearse and David Kenner of Barnwell County, and Carl Gooding of Allendale County were in attendance, as well as Bamberg County Administrator Rose Elliott and Hampton County Administrator Sabrena Graham. Prior to the passage of the multicounty agreement, only projects located at one of the designated multi-county parks could qualify for the tax incentive. The most recent multi-county project in the SCA region is Horsehead Corporation, announced in October 2008, which will bring 65 jobs and $87 million in capital investment to the S.C. Advanced Technology Park in Barnwell County. This is truly an historic occasion for our region, said Ms. Still. We have been able to take cooperation and regionalism to an unprecedented level. We believe this agreement will help us create more and better jobs in the coming years, and that s what we re all about. page 3

4 Senator Brad Hutto, a member of the SCA Board of Directors who played a key role in the development of the SC Advanced Technology Park, congratulates Horsehead Corporation and Barnwell County on the largest announcement in the region in 2008, Horsehead s $87 million dollar zinc recycling facility, a multi-county project which will create 65 new jobs. LEADERS FROM SOUTHERN CAROLINA REGION COMPLETE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SCHOOL CHARLESTON, SC. Five leaders from the Southern Carolina region recently graduated from The South Carolina Economic Development School (SCEDS) at the College of Charleston. SCEDS is a partnership of the Governor s Office, the S.C. Department of Commerce, the S.C. Economic Developers Association, and the School of Business and Economics at the College of Charleston. Established in 1990, SCEDS educates professionals who support community and economic development by focusing on the knowledge and tools that will help South Carolina compete in today's competitive environment. SouthernCarolina Alliance region participants who received graduation certificates in 2008 were: Lynn Cox-Tourism & Community Development Director, City of Barnwell Lowell Jowers-Councilman, Barnwell County Council David Kenner-Councilman, Barnwell County Council Stephen Mason-Dean of Continuing Education, Denmark Technical College Kay Maxwell-Marketing and Special Projects Manager, SouthernCarolina Alliance After eighteen years, over 700 South Carolina professionals have successfully completed the program. To graduate, participants must successfully complete four sessions of instruction and training. The courses focus on workforce and infrastructure development, strategic planning, incentives, prospect needs and presentation skills. The instructors are economic development practitioners and experts, academicians, and private industry representatives. All courses are held at the Tate Center for Entrepreneurship, School of Business and Economics at the College of Charleston. Hampton Celebrates Newly Renovated Court House Complex Citizens in Hampton County celebrated the grand opening and dedication of the newly renovated Hampton County Courthouse in February Hundreds turned out for the ceremonies on February 13, which included presentations from dignitaries and band performances. SCA Regional Staff attended the ceremonies and captured this photograph of the beautifully renovated facility and grounds. page 4

5 Southern Carolina Region is Certified Business Ready Lower Risk and Reduced Start Up Time for Economic Development Projects Challenging economic times have created an atmosphere of uncertainty for many individuals regarding both personal and business financial conditions. In the industrial community, the ability to seize newly created opportunities to build or expand is measured against the risk and cost in today s economy. In early 2008, several counties in South Carolina known as the Southern Carolina region worked together to launch a program to certify their workforce, industrial sites, and incentives to create a competitive edge for their rural area. Our Certified Business Ready program could not have been implemented at a better time for American and international business, says Danny Black, President of SouthernCarolina Alliance, the region s economic development organization. Because of the variables in the financial world over the last six months, certification, credibility and assurance are more important than ever to decision makers and location consultants. According to Black, These decision makers need credible, verifiable information regarding industrial sites and workforce to make the best decisions in an increasingly competitive arena. At the same time, our certified industrial sites, existing infrastructure, and good Southeastern location were identified as our foremost marketable strengths by some of the country s leading consultants in economic development. The consultants also cited the good work ethic of our labor force, our ability to offer the maximum tax and business incentives and our professional staff, added Black. All of these factors can reduce costs for the client, bring speed to the start up process, and reduce risk in economic development projects. Based on these assets, SouthernCarolina Alliance launched the Certified Business Ready brand for the SCA region. The Southern Carolina region of South Carolina is a rural area which boasts 10 S.C. Department of Commerce state-certified sites, which have undergone a rigorous certification process. The process includes certification of the site s characteristics, including zoning; mapping; utility and transportation infrastructure; wetlands, ESA, and endangered species assessments; archeological investigation; preliminary geotechnical study; recordable boundary surveys and topographic survey. We have ten sites, some of which are over 1,000 acres, which have been certified at this level, said Black. Having this detailed certification with truly shovel ready sites has played a huge role in our landing several of our larger projects over the last five years. Those projects include the $300 million facility built by Grant, a Canadian company which built the world s largest oriented strand board manufacturing facility in Allendale County; Kronotex, a Swiss German company which built a $110 million plant manufacturing flooring in Barnwell County; and Horsehead Corporation, which is currently building an $87 million zinc recycling plant in the region. Black adds that while the Southern Carolina region is rural, the capital investment and job creation in the area has outpaced the state average. We ve had some tremendous success in marketing and industrial recruitment, said Black, but job losses from two of our major industry clusters, textile manufacturing and Department of Energy missions, have presented real challenges to our area. While the rise and fall of these two industries and the national economy are beyond our control, we went on the offensive to market our available, skilled workforce, which will be a boon to prospective industry. Over the last two years, the organization, in cooperation with local technical colleges, the University of South Carolina, and workforce partners, implemented a regional WorkKeys certification and testing program to build a certified pool of available workers. A nationally recognized standard to measure industrial skills, the WorkKeys Program helped the region build the second aspect of the Certified Business Ready program. We not only have state certified sites, we can offer a nationally certified workforce, says Black, which has played a critical part in our last two major projects. Using the WorkKeys certification system and having those workers already tested removes a great deal of uncertainty and cost from the project. In addition to certified sites and workforce, The Certified Business Ready program refers to the SCA region s certified incentives, acceptance and assistance. The region offers some of the best tax incentives in the Southeast, and in December 2008, the four counties passed a unique regional, multi-county incentive for qualifying projects. Projects can qualify for more than 51 incentives, including the regional incentive, says Black. Certified approval refers to SouthernCarolina Alliance s ability to map out the permitting process and provide the state s leading experts to handle permitting and environmental questions for the client. Certified acceptance demonstrates to the client that the local communities in the SCA region welcome innovative industries, and that the communities have planned industrial areas for sitechallenged industries with specific site requirements, such as buffered locations with rail access or isolation from heavy Continued on page 8 page 5

6 From Our Allies to Our Allies... The following information was provided in a recent newsletter from SCANA, one of SouthernCarolina Alliance s key allies in economic development. We felt that this information should be shared with all of our readers as well, so we asked our friends at SCANA for permission to pass on this important information regarding our state s business rankings, energy, and workforce. SCA would like to express special thanks to Sharon K. Dovell of SCANA for compiling this information. Although we re in the midst of challenging economic times where each day seems to bring more than its share of bad news, there is good news, too. The Carolinas talented workforce, quality of life and lost cost, pro-business climate continue to attract industry and impel economic growth. South Carolina is among ten states with the lowest cost of labor according to the 2008 Cost of Labor Ranking by Business Facilities magazine, an economic trade publication. The ranking is based on: average pay in the private sector, average employer cost for health care, hourly pay in manufacturing, unemployment insurance and workers compensation premiums and unionization. CNBC ranks South Carolina s workforce second in the nation, and ranks South Carolina fourth for access to transportation in all modes and ninth in the cost of doing business in its America s Top States for Business list. The workforce ranking is based on quality and availability of workers as well as workforce training. Exports from South Carolina increased over 21 percent in 2007, giving South Carolina the lead in foreign trade status in the Southeast and ninth place in the U.S., according to a business report also in Business Facilities magazine. Cargo Business News designated the Port of Charleston a Star Port and Wando Welch Terminal a Star Terminal in The Journal of Commerce recognized that the Port of Charleston is regarded as the most productive East Coast port. Forbes magazine ranks South Carolina third best in 2008 for its probusiness regulatory environment. Forbes considered the state s regulatory and tort climate, incentives, transportation and bond ratings. South Carolina is ranked as the fourth most Pro-Business State in Pollina Corporate Real Estate s 2008 Top 10 Pro-Business States study. The study conducted by the corporate real estate consultant is based on 29 pro-business factors over which state government has control. Per Pollina, The Top 10 list reflects state leadership that truly understands the importance of producing the best job opportunities. South Carolina was commended for developing one of the best incentive programs in the country and has ranked in the top five in Pollina s annual study for the last four years. THE SOUTHEAST AND BEYOND The Carolinas are some of the big winners this year in Inc.com s comprehensive annual Best Cities for Doing Business index, a guide to which places are thriving even in today s tough economic conditions. Technology, finance, manufacturing and tourism are big factors for the Carolinas in this index, as well as demographics. Young, educated workers, especially from the Northeast, are coming for jobs and an affordable way of life. Although automotive production is in a slide nationally, the South s auto industry is gaining traction. In Global Corporate Expansion (CGX) magazine, Sujit M. CanagaRetna, senior fiscal analyst for the Council of State Governments Southern office, attributes the auto industry s continued upward trajectory to the depreciated U.S. dollar, which has boosted exports and foreign direct investment. In the South, foreign automakers like Nissan (Miss.) and BMW (S.C.) are moving along with significant expansion plans for their plants, along with a number of foreign auto parts makers. CanagaRetna states, the industry s drive to move South continues, unabated and with renewed vigor. Half of the Top 10 States for Automotive Manufacturing Growth are in the South, according to Business Facilities magazine 2008 rankings report. The Southern states in the top ten are South Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky and Texas. ENERGY NEWS South Carolina Electric & Gas ranks fourth in the South for residential customer satisfaction, according to J.D. Power and Associates in its 2008 Gas Utility Residential Customer Satisfaction survey. J.D. Power, a global marketing information service company, noted that overall customer satisfaction has improved considerably in 2008, due to efforts by utility companies to promote conservation strategies that help reduce customer bills and positively impact the environment. Nuclear power is gaining significant support in America according to a new nationwide public opinion survey conducted by Bisconti Research Inc. for the Nuclear Energy Institute. Public confidence in nuclear safety has increased nearly 20 percentage points in the past year. In the recent survey, 69 percent agree the U.S. should definitely build new nuclear power. A recent Harris poll confirms the positive trend. SCANA, headquartered in Columbia, South Carolina, is an energy-based holding company that works in partnership with the S.C. Department of Commerce, regional alliances, local communities and site selection consultants to assist with relocations and expansions in the Carolinas. SCANA provides natural gas to more than 1.2 million customers in South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia and electricity to approximately 646,000 customers in South Carolina. Please visit SCANA on the Web at or call SCANA at page 6

7 SCA MEETS WITH CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION In March, a delegation representing SouthernCarolina Alliance s Board of Directors met with our Congressional delegation and their senior Washington staff members regarding issues vital to the future of Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell and Hampton Counties. The group met with key staff members from the offices of Senator Lindsey Graham, Senator Jim DeMint, Congressman Joe Wilson, Congressman Jim Clyburn, and Congressman Gresham Barrett to discuss issues such as workforce development, Savannah River Site issues (including alternative energy, job creation and the accelerated program), economic development and funding. The SCA delegation traveled March 17 and 18, completing six meetings with ten key contacts on Capitol Hill. The delegation included: Johnny Williamson, SCA Vice Chairman; Representative Lonnie Hosey, House District 91; Thomas Williams and Lowell Jowers, Barnwell County Councilmen; Chris Wilson and Isaiah Odom, Bamberg County Councilmen; Carl Gooding and James Pinkney, Allendale County Councilmen; DeThane Johnson, SCA Board of Directors and Hampton Economic Development Commission Chairman; and Danny Black and Kay Maxwell of the SCA Regional Office. SCA Board Member Tim Dangerfield had also planned to participate, but was called home to a more important matter, the birth of his grandchild. (Congratulations, Tim!) Congressman Gresham Barrett discusses SRS issues with DeThane Johnson, Thomas Williams, and Lowell Jowers in a private meeting in the Congressman s office. Here, Thomas Williams shares SCA s perspective on job creation related to Savannah River Site. Congressman Joe Wilson and his senior staff met with SCA s delegation at the Congressman s office in Washington. Pictured, L-R: Thomas Williams, Barnwell County Councilman; Representative Lonnie Hosey, District 91 House Member; Lowell Jowers, Barnwell County Councilman; Danny Black, SCA CEO; DeThane Johnson, Hampton County EDC Chairman; Carl Gooding, Allendale County Councilman; Congressman Wilson; Chris Wilson, Bamberg County Councilman; Kay Maxwell, SCA Regional Staff; James Pinkney, Allendale County Councilman; Johnny Williamson, SCA Vice Chairman; and Rev. Isaiah Odom, Bamberg County Councilman. page 7

8 UNITECH CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE HAMPTON HOSTS TOUR OF SITES The Hampton County Economic Development Commission, led by Holbrook Platts and organized with Ralph DeLoach, hosted a tour of county industrial sites for local leaders on March 14. Participants included members of the county planning commission, county council, county economic development commission, and SouthernCarolina Alliance regional office staff, among others. Since the tour, the Hampton County Economic Development Commission has moved forward, under the leadership of EDC Chairman DeThane Johnson and EDC Director Sandy Fowler, to set priorities for improvements of existing industrial parks and development of new properties. Pictured here are the tour participants on March 14. page 8 S.C. Secretary of Commerce Joe Taylor welcomes Horsehead Corporation to our state and to the S.C. Advanced Technology Park during groundbreaking ceremonies on October 28, Local and state leaders participated in the Horsehead groundbreaking ceremony in October. Hampton Tour participants Taylor, Secretary of Commerce. Founded in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1957, UniTech has grown to more than 500 employees in 11 licensed facilities throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. UniTech was the first commercial nuclear decontamination laundry company licensed in the United States and currently provides protective wear services nationwide for approximately 80% of all operating U.S. commercial power reactors and Department of Energy nuclear facilities, as well as a number of fuel fabrication plants and private facilities. UniTech is an international company on the cutting edge of technology in their field, said Lowell Jowers of Barnwell County Council. We are proud of their success here in Barnwell, and we will continue to support their growth. In a small community like ours, the addition of fifty jobs has a huge impact, added Tim Moore, Mayor of Snelling. UniTech has been an excellent corporate neighbor, and every job created in our area translates into another family provided for. According to Danny Black, President of SouthernCarolina Regional Development Alliance, By increasing the workforce at the Barnwell facility by fifty percent, UniTech is not only creating jobs, they re making a statement about their commitment to our community and the productivity of our workforce. UniTech s expansion is a tremendous shot in the arm for Barnwell County and the Region in a challenging economy, said Marty Martin, Executive Director of the Barnwell County Economic Development Commission. Existing industry has always played a significant role in new job creation and this is another example of the importance of UniTech, and other existing Barnwell County industries, to our local and regional economy. CERTIFIED BUSINESS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 residential or retail areas. Certified Assistance refers to SCA s hands-on approach to walking the client through the project and providing the most professional staff. In short, the Certified Business Ready program conveys efficiency, low cost, credibility and the best possible conditions for the client in all of the factors identified as important to prospects, said Black. Currently, the Southern Carolina region is focused on certifying a new industrial mega-site with rail, located just off I-95 in Hampton County, South Carolina. The Certified Business Ready program is important to us and to our clients, and we plan to continue to develop our inventory of certified sites, says Black. The newest site will have more than 1,300 acres available with the option on another 5,000. We re getting it ready to market now. For more information on the Southern Carolina region and the Certified Business Ready program, visit the website at or contact Danny Black at

9 CRANE OPERATIONS CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE growth will have a significant impact in Williston and throughout Barnwell County as they come available in the years ahead. Thanks to the efforts of SCANA, Barnwell County and state officials, this investment will preserve employment for some 500 hardworking South Carolinians and bring new opportunity to the community. Crane s decision to expand its Dixie-Narco operation in Barnwell County is a huge win for our community during serious economic times. Secretary Taylor and the S.C. Department of Commerce demonstrated to our community, to Crane and to the local Dixie-Narco workforce that South Carolina means business and values jobs. The S.C. Dept. of Commerce led this project to a successful conclusion, creating jobs which will have an even greater impact in our rural area, said Danny Black, president and CEO of SouthernCarolina Alliance. Black added that the win was a team effort, which included Congressman Joe Wilson and his staff who assisted with the project by meeting with company officials to ensure that Dixie-Narco remained in Williston. Today s announcement by Dixie-Narco is great news for the hard working people of Williston and the State of South Carolina. Many communities in our state including Barnwell County have been hit hardest by this troubled economy, said Congressman Joe Wilson. I am especially proud for the people of Williston today as this announcement is a clear recognition of the quality and talent of those who live and work in their community. I wish to thank Secretary Joe Taylor and Bob Marriott of the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Marty Martin of the Barnwell County Economic Development Commission, Danny Black and Kay Maxwell of SouthernCarolina Alliance, and Eric Fast, president and CEO of Crane Company, for their commitment to this project and to the people of Barnwell County. Working together with so many others in the community including my colleagues in Congress we have fought to keep and create more jobs in South Carolina. I look forward to continuing our strong partnership on behalf of the people we have the privilege to represent and serve. SCANA Corporation is pleased that Dixie-Narco has chosen to expand its facility in Williston, South Carolina and we look forward to continuing our longstanding business relationship. We are proud to have worked together with the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Barnwell County, the Southern Carolina Alliance and other allies to support this project and the jobs it will create in the region, said Harry Busbee manager, Community/Economic Development and Local Government, SCANA Corporation. According to Black, The project was a critical one that would not have been possible without the S.C. Department of Commerce and SCANA Corporation, our utility partner, working hand in hand with our local economic development commission and their director. SCANA and Dept. of Commerce officials really stepped up to the plate for us. The level of commitment and cooperation at the local and state level was tremendous. The announcement of a significant expansion of the Dixie-Narco facility in Williston is welcome news to Barnwell County citizens, especially since this is one of our own companies. Dixie-Narco and their employees have been an integral part of the Williston community and Barnwell County since 1989 and we are extremely pleased that this relationship will continue to grow, said Pete Grady, chairman, Barnwell County EDC. The decision by Crane Co. to consolidate their North American vending operations into one plant will lead to significant new job creation in their Dixie-Narco facility in Williston. This consolidation was either going to create hundreds of new jobs for our area or lead to a plant closing, affecting approximately 500 local workers. Many thanks to the Department of Commerce, SCANA, Barnwell County Council and the Barnwell County EDC Board as they were all instrumental in the successful completion of this project, said Marty Martin, executive director, Barnwell County EDC. In 1989, Dixie-Narco moved production of vending machines from Ranson, West Virginia to an Admiral freezer factory in Williston, South Carolina. For nine months to follow, the factory was emptied, a 110,000 square foot addition was built and new equipment was installed. In 1997, Dixie-Narco purchased the assets of ECC Vending (Glass Front Vender). Dixie-Narco was then acquired by Crane Co. in For more information, visit About Crane Co. Crane Co. is a diversified manufacturer of highly engineered industrial products. Founded in 1855, Crane provides products and solutions to customers in the aerospace, electronics, hydrocarbon processing, petrochemical, chemical, power generation, automated merchandising, transportation and other markets. The Company has five business segments: Aerospace & Electronics, Fluid Handling, Engineered Materials, Merchandising Systems and Controls. Crane has approximately 12,000 employees in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and Australia. Crane Co. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:CR). For more information, visit page 9

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11 SCA HOSTS LEGISLATIVE MEETINGS SouthernCarolina Alliance sponsored Legislative Day for the SCA Board of Directors and county leaders on March 10. The day s events included a meeting with the SC Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers, a meeting with S.C. Lt. Governor Andre Bauer, and a legislative luncheon and meeting with the region s legislative delegation, hosted by Senator Brad Hutto. Pictured here, L to R: Lowell Jowers, Barnwell County Councilman; Barbara Lewis, Allendale County Economic Development Commissioner; DeThane Johnson, Chairwoman of Hampton County Economic Development Commission; Marty Martin, Executive Director of Barnwell County Economic Development Commission; S.C. Commissioner of Agriculture Hugh Weathers; Rose Elliott, Bamberg County Administrator; Kell Anderson, SouthernCarolina Alliance Economic Development Manager for Bamberg County; Doretta Elliott, Bamberg County Assessor; John Sanders, SCA Board of Directors. L to R: Bill Robinson, Allendale County Council Chairman; Thomas Williams, Barnwell County Councilman; Commissioner Weathers; Tim Dangerfield, SCA Board of Directors; Johnny Williamson, Vice Chairman of SCA; Rev. Isaiah Odom, SCA Board of Directors. page 11

12 SouthernCarolina Regional Development Alliance 1321 Technology Drive Barnwell, SC PRESORT FIRST CLASS US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT 535 COLUMBIA SC page 12