KINGSTREE — Palmetto Synthetics LLC will expand its operations in Williamsburg County, creating 75 jobs and investing an additional $7 million, according to a press release from the S.C. Department of Commerce.
The release, issued Tuesday in conjunction with Williamsburg County and the town of Kingstree, said the producer of staple fiber, consisting of polyester, nylon and other specialty polymers, would expand its facility in Kingstree, a welcome announcement during a time of slow economic growth.
“We continue to see demand growth for our products, and this expansion will allow us to further grow our market share,” David Poston, vice president of Palmetto Synthetics, said in the release. “Williamsburg County has consistently provided us with an excellent business environment and a strong workforce. We are pleased to expand our presence here in South Carolina. We appreciate all the support we have received from state and local officials,”
Located at 633 Commerce Drive in Kingstree, the company will be adding a new building and an equipment line, the release said. The expansion is expected to be complete by March 2011 and will be brought online at that time, the release said.
In September 2008, the company announced plans for a $3 million expansion at the Kingstree site that would result in the creation of 25 jobs. The expansion included a 30,000-square-foot addition to the facility, as well as a new production line.
Palmetto Synthetics’ productions of polyester fibers are used in several capacities, including apparel and automotive parts.
Founded in 1997, Palmetto Synthetics LLC is a privately held company operating from a 250,000 square foot manufacturing facility in Kingstree, with regional sales offices in Charlotte and in the United Kingdom.
“Palmetto Synthetics continues to consistently be a great corporate and environmental neighbor,” state Sen. Yancey McGill of Kingstree said in the release. “We are truly proud that this corporate leader in South Carolina provides not only jobs and a tax base, but also provides tremendous economic opportunities for South Carolina and its citizens. We welcome this new expansion in Williamsburg County and in this region of South Carolina.”
Williamsburg County had the state’s 16th-highest unemployment rate in June, at 14.1 percent, up from May at 13.2 percent, according to the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce.
This is the second economic expansion that has come to Williamsburg County this year, however.
In April, Willowglen Academy announced the building of a new facility at the Williamsburg County Cooperative Commerce Centre on S.C. 52 just north of Kingstree.
Williamsburg County Supervisor Stanley S. Pasley said Palmetto Synthetics’ decision to expand shows “great potential” in future growth for the county, a sentiment echoed by Kingstree Mayor Ricky Burrows.
The company will begin hiring for the positions in January. Anyone interested in job opportunities with the company can contact the Kingstree Workforce Center at (843) 354-7436 or visit the office at 530 Martin L. King Jr. Ave. in Kingstree, the release said.
Email
Facebook
Google
Twitter
Favorites
More
Advertisement