Rural Berkeley County welcomes skilled jobs; granite company to service region’s building trades

BONNEAU, SC – Rural Berkeley County has landed several new skilled jobs that will expand the area’s offerings in residential and commercial building supplies. Star Granite Interiors will invest $700,000 in a new cutting operation in the Macedonia community, and will employ 15 workers. Today’s announcement was facilitated by the Charleston Regional Development Alliance.

“The Charleston region was a perfect spot for us to locate our new operation,” said Rick Adams, vice president of the Georgia-based company. “We were attracted by the growth of high-end, resort residential areas here, which will be a perfect market for our new line of kitchen and bath products.”

Star Granite Interiors specializes in custom granite work for high-end residential and commercial interiors. Its products include kitchen countertops, bathroom vanities, flooring, fireplaces, and shower and tub surrounds. The company, based in Elberton, GA, is 50 years old and uses granite from quarries all over the world. The new operation will service customers within a 150-mile radius, including those in Savannah, Myrtle Beach and Columbia.

In addition to a ripe market for its products, Star Granite Interiors was attracted by the labor pool available in this part of the region. “The Alliance was proud to be able to work with Berkeley County to help land Star Granite Interiors,” said Alliance chairman, Bill Moody. “The Alliance’s primary objective is to improve the standard of living for all our residents, and it is truly a proud moment when we can celebrate the new skilled jobs that Star Granite is bringing to the people of Macedonia. Welcome!”

Today’s announcement marks the first opportunity the Alliance has had to be involved in landing a competitive project to this area of the tri-county region. Berkeley County Supervisor and County Council Chairman, Jim Rozier, noted that the cooperation between organizations proved to be a winning mixture.

“Star Granite could have chosen to locate in any number of places in this region – or elsewhere,” Rozier said “But our economic team worked together to bring these jobs to a place that needs them – and to people who will help make this company profitable and sound. We were heartened by the way that all interests pulled together to land this project.”

The regional economic development team also worked with representatives of the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

“Recruiting quality companies, like Star Granite, assists the state and the Lowcountry in attracting other prosperous companies to South Carolina,” said Secretary of Commerce Charles S. Way, Jr. “Their announcement today will create better, higher than average paying jobs and help us in diversifying the state’s economic foundation.”

The Charleston Regional Development Alliance represents Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties. Its mission is to broaden and diversify business investment in this region, with a new emphasis on technology-intensive business sectors.