Local Data
Location & Expansion Log
Diverse companies – from startups to multinational corporations – continue to relocate and expand existing operations in the Charleston region.
CRDA-Facilitated Projects
TELUS International Corp.
August 24, 2021
Customer experience (CX) innovator that designs, builds and delivers digital solutions for global brands
TELUS International provides multilingual digital customer experience and digital IT solutions to clients all over the world. The Vancouver, Canada-based company has over 56,000 team members, operates in more than 25 countries and partners with brands across high-growth industry verticals including technology and games, communications and media, eCommerce and fintech, healthcare, and travel and hospitality. In the United States, TELUS International also has operations in Folsom, California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Located at 3450 Ingleside Boulevard in North Charleston, TELUS International’s new facility will increase the company’s operating capacity to meet growing customer demand. “We are thrilled to be expanding into North Charleston and tapping into the region’s attractive talent pool to support our company’s continued growth, as well as becoming more actively involved in the months and years ahead in community-giving and volunteer initiatives to contribute to the health and well-being of the region’s citizens," says TELUS International Chief Operating Officer Chuck Koskovich. Hiring is currently underway, and the firm expects to be fully staffed locally by 2022.
DuPont
July 8, 2021
MOLYKOTE® specialty lubricants manufacturing
DuPont’s Cooper River site in the Charleston Metro Area is home to DuPont™ Hytrel® Thermoplastic Elastomers operations and has been expanded to include manufacturing of MOLYKOTE® Specialty Lubricants. To address the growing market for autonomous and electric vehicles, as well as to meet regulatory requirements and sustainability needs for automotive and industrial applications, DuPont has invested millions of dollars in MOLYKOTE® manufacturing facilities to ensure continuing global capacity and a cost-effective supply chain for the production of high-quality, high-performance lubrication products. Coupled with extensive tribology and material science expertise, these investments reinforce DuPont’s capability for market growth in automotive, electronics, food and beverage, healthcare, heavy industry, and renewable energy and position the company for geographic expansion. “Expansion of the site has created tremendous economic growth and opportunities for DuPont and the Tri-County region,” said Bill Alexander, Cooper River site leader and unit leader for DuPont’s MOLYKOTE®, Hytrel™ and Liveo™ brands. “We are excited to be in an exceptional position to better service our customers and provide solutions to their lubrication challenges.”
New, Expanding, and Mergers & Acquisitions
HYDERA
September 15, 2021
Full-service International Organization for Standardization (ISO) container depot serving the bulk liquids transportation industry
A joint venture between Pacolet Milliken and OURAY and located at the Charleston International Manufacturing Center (CIMC) at 1690 Bushy Park Road, HYDERA will provide cleaning, storage, heating, repair, testing and maintenance of the ISO containers for the growing needs of the bulk liquids transportation industry in the Charleston region. The new facility is expected to be fully operational by April 2022, with storage and transportation services being offered as soon as October 2021. Company officials cited Berkeley County as a "natural fit" when seeking a location that could serve customers along the East Coast, particularly via the ease of access to the South Carolina port system and national rail and highway infrastructure.
TELUS International Corp.
August 24, 2021
Customer experience (CX) innovator that designs, builds and delivers digital solutions for global brands
TELUS International provides multilingual digital customer experience and digital IT solutions to clients all over the world. The Vancouver, Canada-based company has over 56,000 team members, operates in more than 25 countries and partners with brands across high-growth industry verticals including technology and games, communications and media, eCommerce and fintech, healthcare, and travel and hospitality. In the United States, TELUS International also has operations in Folsom, California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Located at 3450 Ingleside Boulevard in North Charleston, TELUS International’s new facility will increase the company’s operating capacity to meet growing customer demand. “We are thrilled to be expanding into North Charleston and tapping into the region’s attractive talent pool to support our company’s continued growth, as well as becoming more actively involved in the months and years ahead in community-giving and volunteer initiatives to contribute to the health and well-being of the region’s citizens," says TELUS International Chief Operating Officer Chuck Koskovich. Hiring is currently underway, and the firm expects to be fully staffed locally by 2022.
Downsizing
DAK Americas
June 10, 2021
Polyester staple fibers manufacturing
DAK Americas is closing part of its Berkeley County manufacturing operations at the end of 2021, affecting 200 jobs at the Cooper River plant. “This is a very difficult decision for us,” said Jorge Young, DAK’s co-president. “The closure of the fibers operations comes after an extensive analysis of our ability to be cost competitive in an extremely challenging market that has faced prolonged and continuing pressure from low-priced imports. Current economics do not support the extensive investment needed to revitalize the site and meet future market needs. We thank our employees for their many years of commitment and service.” The Cypress Gardens Road site will continue to make specialty resins for the bottle and packaging markets and will retain about 100 employees, the company said. DAK is a subsidiary of Alpek, a petrochemical company that makes a variety of polyester, plastic and chemical products that’s owned by Alfa S.A.B. de C.V. of Monterrey, Mexico.
ARD Logistics DBA Key Logistics
September 30, 2020
3PL services
A Ladson company that provides logistics services for Cummins Turbo Technologies is laying off 106 workers, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be out of a job. ARD Logistics, which does business as Key Logistics Solutions, told the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce that Cummins “has decided for strategic reasons” to terminate its contract as of Sept. 30. All of the workers are expected to be hired by Cummins or another logistics firm working with the turbocharger manufacturer. “We are currently working on a transition plan to seamlessly move this work back to the Cummins organization or a third-party identified by Cummins,” said ARD Logistics officials.
