Three Charleston region expansion projects included in top 25

Top 25 U.S. Business Projects, Based on New Jobs

Oklahoma City, Okla.–Wisconsin-based Quad/Graphics will build a $65 million printing plant in Oklahoma City, employing 1,000 people. Within the first year of operation, which is expected to commence in 2002, the company will employ 100 workers. Quad/Graphics specializes in well-known magazines, catalogs and books including Time, Newsweek and U.S. News and World Report.

Maudlin, S.C.–Verizon Wireless is constructing a new $21 million, 192,000-square-foot facility for its Carolinas region headquarters to expand its customer service call center. Verizon is expected to create 750 new jobs by 2005 for skilled customer service representatives. Completion is slated for January 2002.

Brownsburg, Ind.–TJX Companies Inc., parent company of TJMaxx and Marshalls, has selected Indianapolis for its national distribution center for its Home Goods Group and plans to create 600 new jobs in a facility that will ultimately contain 805,200 square feet. TJX moved into a 396,000-square-foot portion in mid-May. It will expand with an extra 409,200 square feet by mid-October 2001.

Shelby, N.C.–Wal-Mart Stores Inc. plans to locate a 1.2 million-square-foot distribution center in Cleveland County, investing $50 million and creating 600 new jobs. Wal-Mart plans to break ground for the facility in fall 2001 and be fully operational by fall 2002.

Chesterfield County, Va.–ERNI Components Inc., a manufacturer and supplier of a broad line of interconnect products, will expand its operations in the Rivers Bend Center and create 550 new jobs over the next three years. Total investment is $98.4 million for the 174,000 square-foot building. Completion is slated for the end of 2001.

Shawnee, Kan.–FedEx Ground will expand its terminal in Shawnee, creating over 69 full-time and 350 part-time jobs. Capital investment is $15 million for the 15,500-square-foot space.

Fairfax County, Va.–Arthur Andersen LLP is expanding its operations and will hire 400 new employees in the Tycon Towers office complex in Fairfax County. Total investment for the expansion is $11.5 million. Completion is slated for fall 2001.

Wichita, Kan.–York International, a heating and cooling equipment manufacturer, is expanding into a 250,000-square-foot facility, creating 400 new jobs. Capital investment is $13 million.

Henderson, N.C.–Wal-Mart plans to build a $20 million, 400,000-square foot food distribution center in Henderson. Wal-Mart will hire 250 employees in April 2001. Construction will begin in summer 2001; it will be operational in mid-summer 2002.

Northampton County, Pa.–Alcan Inc. is expanding its Margo Contract Packaging and Specialty Cartons division into Northampton County, creating more than 300 new jobs over three years. Alcan will build a 200,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in the Lehigh Valley Industrial Park VI on the William Penn Highway in Bethlehem. Construction began in May 2001.

Charleston, S.C.–Triton PCS plans to build a $13.5 million, 100,000-square-foot regional HQ facility in the Daniel Island Corporate Center. Triton PCS, a provider of digital wireless service in the Southeast, markets its services under the brand name SunCom, a member of the AT&T Wireless Network. SunCom will hire 275 new workers. Completion is slated for February 2002.

Lenexa, Kan.–Community American Credit Union plans to consolidate its headquarters into one facility in Lenexa. The $17 million, 100,000-square foot facility will operate with a projected work force of 325 people, with 269 of these as new jobs at an average wage of $40,000 a year.

Hyattsville, Md.–Access Worldwide, a marketing company, has leased a 24,000-square-foot office space in the Prince George’s Metro Center for its high-tech call center. The company will hire 250 employees. It provides sales, marketing, Internet and medical education services.

Portsmouth, Va.–NTELOS, a wireless digital personal communications provider, has opened a customer care facility here. NTELOS expects to hire 250 employees, investing $9.6 million. The company, headquartered in Waynesboro, Va., provides integrated solutions for business and residential customers in Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina and Kentucky.

Kansas City, Mo.–DaimlerChrysler Financial Services is expanding in the Kansas City area with a new customer service center, creating 250 new jobs over the next two years. Construction on the 80,000-square-foot building will begin in summer 2001 and be operational by 2002. Headquartered in Southfield, Mich., the company provides financing to retail customers and inventory and capital financing for auto dealers.

Suffolk, Va.–N.Y.-based Petals Inc., a maker of silk botanicals and trees, has selected Suffolk for its new 220,000-square-foot manufacturing, operations and distribution center, which will employ 250 new workers. The company will invest $2.1 million in equipment and modifications to the existing buildings. The facility is expected to be operational in July 2001.

Norfolk, Va.–Zim-American Israeli Shipping Co. Inc. will invest $6.2 million to locate in a new building in the Lake Wright Executive Center and hire 135 to 225 people. The company will relocate its U.S. HQ from New York City to Norfolk. Zim-American Israeli Shipping Co. Inc. is a fully owned subsidiary of Zim Israeli Navigation Co., which is based in Haifa, Israel and owns and operates 84 vessels in worldwide trading. Zim-American Israeli Shipping Co. Inc. will offer access to online data resources for customers.

Hesston, Kan.–Hay & Forage Industries is expanding its facility after its parent company, AGCO Corp., decided to consolidate manufacturing at its Hesston facility in Harvey County. The new 120,000-square-foot manufacturing building will employ 200 workers at the Hesston plant. Hay & Forage produces farming implements.

Charleston, S.C.–Getrag Precision Gear Company LLC, a maker of vehicle trim gears, will hire 200 new workers for the expansion of its existing operation in Charleston County. The company is building a $40 million, 150,000-square-foot facility. The project is expected to be operational by late 2001.

Charleston, S.C.–The Scientific Research Corp. (SRC) will expand in the Charleston area, creating more than 140 jobs and bringing $4.5 million in capital investment. The company will occupy 30,000 square feet of a new 70,000-square-foot office building. Completion of the project is scheduled for spring 2002. SRC uses applied research and hands-on operations to develop and improve computing technologies.

South Hill, Va.–Carlisle Motion Control plans to open a friction material manufacturing facility in the Town of South Hill. The facility, to open in late 2001, will employ 110 people. Carlisle will invest $15 million in the project. Carlisle is a diversified manufacturer of products serving construction materials, industrial components, automotive components and general industry markets. It also manufactures and markets heavy duty, asbestos-free brake linings for vehicles in class sizes six through eight, spring brakes and Altec remanufactured brake shoes.

Fairfax County, Va.–Creative Technology Inc., an information technology consulting firm headquartered in Herndon, Va., expanded its operations in Fairfax County in April 2001 to 42,000 square feet of office space. Creative Technology plans to hire 108 new employees with experience in information technology, Web design and application and systems engineering. The company will invest $1 million in the expansion project.

Southport, N.Y.–Air-Flo Manufacturing Corp. will create 100 new jobs and invest $1.2 million in machinery and equipment to expand its operations in Southport, Chemung County during the next three years. Air-Flo will initially lease 50,000 square feet, eventually growing to 150,000 square feet in three years. Air-Flo makes steel truck beds found on the dump trucks used in construction and related industries.

Brookneal, Va.–Harris-Tarkett Inc. will invest $3.5 million in the Campbell County facility to manufacture unfinished hardwood flooring at the former Burruss facility. The company will hire 100 new employees over the next 18 months. Harris-Tarkett produces a range of prefinished and unfinished solid and engineered plank, strip and parquet products.

Davenport, Iowa–Sentry Insurance, headquartered in Stevens Point, Wis., is relocating its underwriting, marketing, information services, claims and human resources operations from Moline, Ill. to Davenport, Iowa. The company expects to hire 95 new employees over the next three years. Sentry will invest $14 million to-wards the project and expansion of the newly constructed 80,000-square-foot building.