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
PRC Laser
December 16, 2019
Design and manufacture of fiber laser cutting machines for OEM machine builders
Founded in 1985, PRC Laser Corporation supplies original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) with proven industrial lasers that offer cost-effective and efficient technology. Additionally, the company supplies end users with unique lasers for special purpose applications. Located at 4279 K Crosspoint Drive in North Charleston, PRC Laser Corporation’s new location will allow the company to increase capacity and expand its assembly and testing operations. “PRC is very excited to join the many diverse global manufacturers locating to the Charleston area. Our state-of-the-art industrial laser products, global service network and U.S.-based manufacturing combine to create many growth opportunities for customers and employees. We look forward to helping make the S.C. Lowcountry a hub for industrial laser products for both the North American and global markets,” said PRC Laser Corporation President Walter Wilson. Announced 3/5/2020
Dennis Eagle Inc.
December 12, 2019
Chassis assembly for compressed natural gas (CNG) and diesel trucks
Part of the multinational Terberg RosRoca Group, which employs more than 2,500 people worldwide, Dennis Eagle Inc. is a world leader in the design and manufacturing of refuse collection vehicles. The company plans to lease 16,000 square feet in Dorchester County’s Eastport Commerce Center, located at 104 Pinnacle Way, to assemble Elite Chassis for compressed natural gas (CNG) and diesel trucks. The facility will become operational in 2020.
New & Expanding
Kontane Logistics
May 27, 2020
Tire and wheel assembly
The Kontane Logistics Inc. facility at 830 Drop Off Drive, just off Interstate 26, will employ 30 workers and support the Volvo plant in nearby Ridgeville which builds S60 sedans. It’s the second automotive-related announcement in recent months for Kontane, according to Rusty Byrd, chief operations officer, who said in October the firm will also provide “just in time” parts delivery for the Mercedes-Benz Vans plant in North Charleston. Kontane’s headquarters is at a warehouse and distribution center on Charleston Regional Parkway, and the company has facilities in North Carolina, Alabama and Texas.
Charleston Stevedoring Company LLC (CSC)
May 6, 2020
Container terminal and stevedoring services
Marine Terminals Corporation East (Ports America), Ceres Marine Terminals Inc. (Ceres), and SSA Atlantic LLC (SSA) are pleased to announce they have formed a joint venture company to provide container terminal and stevedoring services in the Port of Charleston in South Carolina. “The new entity will provide significant benefits to the Port of Charleston, including improved container terminal services through the consolidated operations at all berths, as well as more efficient vessel turn times and improved equipment utilization,” CSC President Dan Hall said. “The combined company will optimize use of terminal capacity and improve integration between terminal, vessel and gate operations.” Ports America is a U.S. terminal operator and stevedore, with operations in every major port in the nation. Ceres is a transportation service provider, with stevedoring and terminal operations across multiple cargo types and operations in many of North America’s key ports. SSA, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seattle-based Carrix Inc., is a marine and rail terminal operator in the Americas and internationally. The new joint venture becomes operational May 4, 2020.
Downsizing
The Boeing Company
May 28, 2020
Aircraft assembly and final delivery
Boeing has announced that it will cut its global workforce by 10% corporate-wide by the end of 2020 due to decline in the airline industry globally after COVID-19, equating to about 12,000 jobs affected in the United States. Specifics by state or for all campuses are not yet publicly available.
James Hardie Industries
May 6, 2020
Manufacturer of cement-based exterior siding and other products for the housing and commercial construction markets
The Charleston area plant is being closed as part of a business restructuring plan by its Irish owner. “The move will realign supply and demand in the North American market following the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic,” the company said. Hardie bought the Cemplank plant in Summerville in 2003, then closed it in 2009 due to the Great Recession, while maintaining ownership of the facility. They re-opened it in 2017 due to the strength of the revived economy and growth in the construction sector. This mid-2020 closure will affect 60 local positions.
