Florence Business Has Global Flavor
Published Oct 17, 2007
Application engineer Devin Kernal tests a welding machine at ESAB Welding & Cutting Products, part of a London-based holding company.
When one of the world’s leading companies chose Florence County as the North American headquarters for its all-terrain vehicle manufacturing in 1997, it was more than the county’s infrastructure and strategic location that sealed the deal – it was ultimately the community that drew the company here.
“The people wanted Honda in the community, and they did everything they could to ensure that Honda came back to take a second look when the company was evaluating several cities throughout the Southeast. When it came down to it, Honda was inspired by the spirit of the community,” says Jeff Helton, senior manager of administration for Honda of South Carolina Mfg. Inc.
Today, the Honda plant, which covers more than 600 acres just off Interstate 95 in Timmonsville, produces 289,000 ATVs per year, employs about 1,600 people locally and carries a payroll that exceeds $70 million annually.
The Japanese automaker is one of many international companies that have found the area to be a splendid place to do business. In fact, the slogan of the Florence County Economic Development Partnership is “Global Reach With a Southern Touch.”
Honda provides evidence that international companies flourish after locating here. In 2002, the company opened an $11 million watercraft manufacturing plant adjacent to the ATV facility.
Two years later, it also began producing aluminum wheels for ATVs here.
“Honda’s capital investment at this site currently exceeds $200 million, and 18 of our suppliers are located within the state of South Carolina. Both the county and the state are an excellent place to do business,” Helton says.
Just north of the Honda plant near the Interstate 95 interchange with I-20, another global company is capitalizing on the advantages of doing business in Florence County. ESAB Welding & Cutting Products, which is part of a $1.3 billion holding company based in London, employs more than 800 people at its 500,000-square-foot facility located between I-95 and Ebenezer Road.
According to Jeff Hoffart, the company’s senior vice president and general manager of the site, ESAB’s success in the Pee Dee region can be attributed in part to specialized employee training programs available in conjunction with Florence-Darlington Technical Institute.
“They have provided ongoing and specialized training for our company and are expanding their operations to support more manufacturers in the area. Having that kind of resource is a great advantage of doing business here,” says Hoffart, whose company recently launched a line of machinery featured on the Discovery Channel’s “Monster Garage” program.
Nearby, Nan Ya Plastics Corp., part of the Formosa Plastics Group based in Taiwan, has built the world’s largest single-site polyester production facility.
With nearly 900 employees working from a 600-acre campus located just off I-95, the company manufactures PET resin and polyester fiber for textiles.
“South Carolina is a very employer-friendly state that provides a lot of opportunity for companies to be competitive and successful while still protecting employees,” says Eric Stevenson, personnel manager for Nan Ya Plastics.
At Zurich, Switzerland-based Asea Brown Boveri, or ABB, the world’s leading producer of circuit breakers used in the utility industry, a workforce of 125 engineers, production and administrative staff comprise the company’s circuit breaker technology group in Florence. According to Tom Rassau, ABB’s managing director of circuit breaker technology, the area’s strategic location, quality of life and skilled workforce make Florence County the ideal choice for global companies looking to establish a presence in the region.
“Florence is really a neat place that has still maintained its small southern city charm,” Rassau says. “There’s a great atmosphere for business, the work ethic is great and the people understand commitment.”
Story by Valerie Pascoe
Photo by Brian McCord
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