Media Center
May 14, 2007
Illinois Company Teams with South Carolina Partners to Bring Jobs and Investment to Kershaw County
5.14.2007
Timing is everything. For Agracel, Inc., an Industrial Development firm in Effingham, IL, the timing was perfect for developing its first Spec building in the progressive state of South Carolina. Kershaw County, South Carolina will soon be the home to a new 75,000 sf (expandable to 150,000 sf) shell building in its Steeplechase Industrial Park. With infrastructure and utilities already in place, the ground work officially began on the project the third week of April. A ceremonial groundbreaking was held May 08th in the industrial park.
According to Todd Thoman, Director of Business Development, for the Illinois based firm, “The timing was great for us to do our first spec building in South Carolina. As we pin point areas to grow our portfolio, the Central South Carolina Region has long been on our list of interest. We have always been impressed with the pro-business environment that exists within South Carolina.” Agracel has had the opportunity to work with several entities from South Carolina over the years through its various site selection projects, including helping bring Komatsu to Newberry, SC in 2000. Over time, the company has developed solid relationships with many key groups within the Columbia Region. It was these very relationships that led Agracel to partnering with Kershaw County Economic Development, Progress Energy and Deepal Eliatamby of Alliance Consulting Engineers, Inc. to build the spec facility in Camden, SC.
Last year Agracel was contacted by Nelson Lindsay, Director of the Kershaw County Economic Development Office regarding a partnership in this project. Agracel’s research proved that this venture would make perfect sense as the company sees a tremendous boom in the development of the Southeast. In particular, the Illinois Company is excited by the potential for growth in Camden and Kershaw County. “Kershaw County is pleased to be partnering with Agracel and Progress Energy on our newest shell building in Steeplechase Industrial Park. In today’s economic development climate, available buildings are a must, and this project should dramatically increase interest in our community,” stated Steve S. Kelly, Jr., chairman of Kershaw County Council.
Special thanks goes out to Progress Energy for partnering on the project. According to Thoman, “Progress Energy’s $400,000.00 investment made the decision easier. We would not have done the project without them.” The lead financial institution for the project will be Camden’s own First Palmetto Savings Bank.
Scheduled for completion in September 2007, the facility, located on 14 acres in Camden’s attractive Steeplechase Industrial Park, will be marketed nationally in a joint marketing venture between Agracel, Kershaw County Economic Development and the Central SC Alliance. Central SC Alliance Marketing Director David King said, “We will aggressively market this new industrial building to a global audience. First, we will start with a defined target marketing list consisting of companies from various industrial sectors. The research that has been conducted has identified these companies to be growing as well as to be a great fit for our region.”
Agracel looks forward to this being the first of many building projects in Kershaw County.
Officials and Guests from the State of South Carolina, the Central SC Alliance, Progress Energy, Kershaw County and Agracel, Inc. were on hand to witness the groundbreaking.
For additional information e-mail Sarah Robins, Agracel Marketing Manager at srobins@agracel.com
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