Nucor expansion means $120 million investment, 25 new jobs

Nucor Corp.’s move to modernize its Darlington bar mill facility represents a capital investment of about $120 million and will create 25 new jobs, an attorney who represents the company said.

Attorney Kerry Lindauer told Darlington County Council Monday that the jobs that will be created by the project will pay an average annual wage of about $75,000.

The steel manufacturer announced its plans Wednesday.

Council had first reading on a proposed ordinance to extend Nucor’s existing fee-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement with the county by another 10 years to a total of 30 years.

The agreement also commits Nucor to invest at least $120 million in the project and create the 25 new jobs. It also extends Nucor’s investment period to 2018.

Nucor is expected to pay the county about $10 million in property taxes over the next 30 years, according to county officials.

The new equipment that will be added to the company’s Darlington facility will help Nucor further diversify its steel bar capabilities and open doors to more markets, officials said.

Nucor is one of Darlington County’s largest employers.

No action is taken on an ordinance on first reading. The first vote will come when council takes up the measure on second reading. That will likely come in March. A public hearing on the ordinance and final approval should come in April.

Council also had first reading on a proposed ordinance to provide Sonoco in Hartsville with a special source revenue credit to reduce its fee-in-lieu-of-taxes payment by 50 percent for the next 10 years for its planned $100 million expansion in Hartsville.

That project, announced in December, includes the construction of a $75 million wood-burning biomass boiler facility that will replace two aging coal-fired boilers that have been in use at the plant for 60 years.

The project will create 10 new permanent jobs, but the construction project itself will at its peak employ about 200 workers, company officials said.

The special source revenue credit agreement will provide Sonoco with reimbursement for infrastructure improvements needed for the project, including the widening of Society Avenue and Sonovista Drive, which is expected to cost about $900,000. Sonoco officials say the company is committed to financing the road improvements but requested the special source revenue credit to reimburse for these up front expenses, officials said.

The new facility is expected to save Sonoco about $14 million annually in operating costs, company officials said.

With more than 1,600 full-time employees in Darlington County, mostly in Hartsville, Sonoco is the county’s largest private sector employer. County officials said the company is expected to pay about $8 million in property taxes to Darlington County over 30 years.

Second reading on that ordinance is also expected in March with final approval likely in April as well.

In other business, council gave second-reading approval to an ordinance for the issue of a general obligation bond for up to $1.6 million for capital projects. Many of those projects include reroofing several county-owned buildings including the Darlington County Courthouse, County Administrator Dale Surrett said.

Surrett said the roof projects will come first. He asked council members to begin thinking about other capital needs that they would like to see addressed with whatever funds are left after the roofs are done.

Council also heard from Darlington area residents Ronnie and Glenda Howell about an abandoned partially constructed house near their home they say is posing health and safety risks and that is unsightly.

The couple lives with their son in a home on the Traces Golf Course near the Darlington County – Florence County line. They said construction of the house was stopped after its former owner ran into financial difficulties. They said they think a bank now owns it.

They said the yards are overgrown and the structure is overrun with pests such as rats, mice, snakes and termites and that it frequently attracts other animals such as raccoons and stray dogs and cats.

Ronnie Howell said that when he once tried to cut the grass at the house the former owner called law enforcement from Florence County.

Glenda Howle said she has seen indications that some homeless people may be occupying the house at times.

Ronnie Howell said three guns, including an M16 rifle, were found under the house. The Howells asked council if there is anything the county can do to have the house boarded up.

County Attorney Jim Cox said he would try to determine what, if anything, the county can do and let the Howells know later in the week.