Carolina Filters to expand in Sumter County, create 20 jobs

Carolina Filters Inc. will expand its operations in Sumter County with an $3 million investment that’s expected to create up to 20 jobs in the next five years.

Carolina Filters is expanding its filter and parts cleaning operations to accommodate new equipment that will help eliminate chemical waste streams and reduce environmental impact.

“We are pleased to expand our operations in Sumter County, and specifically in the City of Sumter. The area has long provided our company with an excellent workforce and positive business environment,” Coles Dwight, principal and chief executive officer of Carolina Filters, said in a state Department of Commerce press release. “This expansion is an exciting next step for us. We appreciate all the support we’ve received from state and local officials.”

The company has also entered a partnership with Longworth Engineering Ltd, a United Kingdom-based firm that produces filter cleaning equipment. Carolina Filters will represent Longworth Engineering in North America and market that company’s products here, including the DEECOM filter cleaning system.

“The City of Sumter strives to consider the environmental impact on everything we do, and we applaud any company that shares our commitment to cleaner living and smarter business,” Sumter Mayor Joe McElveen said. “Obviously we’re pleased with the jobs and investment, but anytime a business in Sumter takes things out of the waste stream and reduces its impact on our environment, we’re doubly pleased. This is real progress towards a cleaner, more sustainable Sumter.”

Carolina Filters has been providing air filter services to companies throughout the Southeast for more than 40 years, state Secretary of Commerce Joe Taylor said.

“This family-owned business has a strong history in Sumter County and their decision to expand operations in South Carolina is a positive indication that our business-friendly climate and skilled work force are working to encourage growth among existing businesses, even in these challenging economic times,” he said in the release.

Carolina Filters plans to begin hiring for the positions in the fall. Anyone interested in applying or getting more information on the jobs available can call the company’s human resources department at (803) 418-9719.