As we enter 2016 it is safe to say that York County has a great deal of growth and development happening — growth that will have both short and long term impacts to our area. We continue to experience significant new residential developments coupled with unyielding existing home sales. With that have come new residents and growth in our schools and our community. We have seen commercial and industrial developers focused on improving existing locations while developing plans for the future. New locations such as more restaurants, retail, office and industrial space are underway that will both grow jobs and our existing tax base. And while we remain appreciative and steadfast in these endeavors, we also look with caution towards the horizons ahead.
Even with all the positive happenings in our county and state, there is a recognition that our economy may be headed for a slowdown — possibly a recession. Declining stock markets, drops in oil prices, declining orders of durable goods, and strengthening of the US dollar indicates that the winds are changing. Conversely, other economic indicators show us that unemployment is dropping and that new hiring continues to show recovery levels. It shows new home starts and existing home sale values continuing to increase — conveying a message that a slump, if any, could be short term.
Considering the economy is cyclical in nature, we tend to experience some level of change about every seven years — each cycle varying greatly in length and severity. As we anticipate some sort of change on those horizons, we will keep a watchful eye and do what any successful front-runner does in the midst of uncertainty — focus on what we can control. The key to York County riding out such cycles is to do just that while maximizing the potential created from the endeavors made in prosperous times.
Your economic development team works in partnership on key topics like workforce development, business retention and recruitment, marketing, product development and infrastructure improvement. It is important to understand that South Carolina is not unique in the challenges we face. Challenges such as the need for a more educated and ready for work labor force that meets the needs of all industry sectors — improved roadways that will allow people and products safer journeys — a balanced tax system that allows us to compete for new investments by both existing and new companies while simultaneously covering the costs to service these firms. Focusing on these core areas makes us competitive and keeps us in the game.
At the end of this month, York County Day will be celebrated in Columbia, South Carolina. Leaders will hear updates from our elected officials and others on the many challenges we face and how we can focus on solutions or ideas for problem solving. By continuing to work together, we can and will be successful in both the good times and those times that present a challenge. With such an ideal place in the Carolinas, our location is always on our side. It’s good to be York County.
Sincerely,
– David Swenson, Director of York County Economic Development
Established in 2003 in Pineville, N.C., Broad River Furniture is a locally-owned and operated home furnishings retailer. As the largest and fastest-growing Ashley Furniture HomeStore licensee in the Carolinas and Georgia, Broad River has grown tremendously since its inception. Today, the company operates in three states and employs more than 500 full-time workers.
Broad River Furniture’s new York County corporate campus and distribution center is located at Lakemont Business Park in Fort Mill, S.C. The 174,000-square-foot facility allows the company to bring together employees from its current corporate offices and separate distribution center in Charlotte, N.C. Additionally, the new facility’s convenient location along the Interstate 77 corridor offers easy access to support Broad River’s 16 Ashley Furniture HomeStores in North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, and one Ashley Furniture HomeStore Outlet in Charlotte.
Left to right: President and CEO for Broad River Furniture Charlie Malouf, Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina Henry McMaster, Broad River Furniture Executive Chairman and Founder Jonathan Ishee
"South Carolina is not only leading the manufacturing renaissance – we’ve also become a top choice for corporate headquarters and distribution centers. We’re excited to have Broad River Furniture on the list of renowned companies that call the Palmetto State home.”
– Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt
The York County Economic Development board has recently elected a new chairman. Robb Hudson, Key Account and Business Development Manager for Mitsui Seiki USA accepted the role at last month’s board meeting. Hudson’s position with Mitsui Seiki USA focuses on broadening relationships with OEM and large tier supplier customers. His role is also key in expanding an already influential footprint in the turbine, aerospace, fluid control, compressor and advanced die-mold industries. Hudson’s interest for economic development began to grow after playing a key role in the site selection and development of the North American business unit for Winbro Group Technologies based in York County. Hudson has been serving on the board since 2012 and is looking forward to the new role.
Also elected to new positions—Doug Meyer-Cuno, who will serve as Vice Chair and Vance Stine now serving as Secretary of Treasurer.
Friends Underwriting Economic Development (F.U.E.D) has awarded scholarships to five economic developers in the Charlotte region—two of this year’s recipients from York County Economic Development. F.U.E.D works with the Charlotte Regional Partnership each year to raise money for the scholarships, which are used to pay for professional-development classes for the recipients. Sponsors of an annual golf outing fund a majority of the scholarships. The organization of realtors, property developers, accountants, attorneys, bankers and other professionals in the Charlotte region meet regularly throughout the year.
Left to Right: Steven Pearce, Director of Research for the Charlotte Regional Partnership (recipient) — Margie Bukowski, Director of Business Development Services for the Charlotte Regional Partnership (recipient) — Joshua Fernandez, Research & Marketing Assistant for Cabarrus Economic Development Development Services (recipient) — Teresa Curtice, Business Retention Manager for York County Economic Development — Ronnie Bryant, President and CEO for the Charlotte Regional Partnership — Caroline Floyd, Marketing Director for York County Economic Development (recipient).
We recently welcomed intern, Abigail Roush, to our team. Abigail is pursuing a double major in mathematics and economics from Winthrop University and is expected to graduate this May. Her internship with the York County Economic Development office will focus on research and data analysis.
York County has recently been redesignated as in ‘attainment’ with the 2008 Federal Ozone Standard. The redesignation follows the Charlotte area’s redesignation earlier this year. Find more details on the approval process here.
The Carolina Place speculative building is complete and an agreement to sell the building to an end user has been reached. Beacon Partners intends to lease the building to a distribution and service operation. The 50,400-square-foot industrial building located in Fort Mill, South Carolina was built in cooperation with Beacon Partners, York County and Santee Cooper.
Construction continues on the new 40,000 square-foot speculative shell building (rendering pictured above) in the East York Industrial Park. Located east of York, the new shell building is expandable to 80,000 square-feet and will feature a 30 foot clear height when complete.
York County Economic Development is partnering with Duke Energy to study potential industrial sites in the Duke electric service territory. Using a model similar to the Duke Site Readiness Program — recently completed at the Blanchard Blackwell site off interstate 77 at Exit 73 — the analysis will compile site and utility characteristics, thus providing potential development scenarios.
More information to come on these initiatives later in 2016.
