Gov. Mark Sanford, the South Carolina Department of Commerce and the Darlington County Economic Development Partnership joined New South Lumber Company, a member of the Canfor group of companies, at a ribbon cutting event to celebrate the company’s expansion in Darlington County. The company invested $7 million to make upgrades and additions to its facility.
“These additions to our Darlington County plant were an important modernization to make it more competitive. Darlington County has been a perfect fit for our company, providing us with an excellent business environment. We appreciate all the support we’ve received from state and local officials,” said Steve Singleton, vice president of New South Lumber Company.
New South Lumber manufactures Southern Pine dimension lumber, a wide variety of specialty lumber products and treated lumber. The company has replaced and updated equipment at the Darlington County facility to increase its efficiency and productivity.
“Making sure existing businesses in our state have the fundamental tools to grow and prosper is increasingly important, especially given today’s global competition for new investment. This expansion is a reminder of the importance to improve South Carolina’s business soil conditions in order to encourage economic growth in both larger cities and smaller communities alike across the state. I'd thank the state and local economic development community for their efforts, as well as – and most importantly – New South Lumber for choosing to reinvest in South Carolina,” said Gov. Mark Sanford.
Secretary of Commerce Joe Taylor added, “New South Lumber Company has a long history in South Carolina and is a leading supplier of specialty lumber products. This investment reinforces the company’s commitment to our state and is a strong reflection that South Carolina’s workforce, market access and business-friendly environment are working to encourage new investment and help our existing businesses grow. We congratulate New South Lumber on their success and look forward to a long and mutually beneficial relationship with them in the years ahead.”
“New South Lumber and their predecessor have been a valued member of our community since 1939,” said Wesley Blackwell, chairman, Darlington County Council. “Their improvements will keep their Darlington mill competitive and employment stable.”
“It is important for our existing industry to continual reinvest in new technologies to increase efficiencies,” said Jim Ramsey, chairman, Darlington County Economic Development Partnership. “As the housing sector begins to recover, New South Lumber will be well-positioned to take advantage of growth opportunities.”
New South Lumber Company is a subsidiary of Canfor, which acquired the company in 2006. In addition to Southern Pine dimension lumber, New South Lumber manufactures a variety of specialty lumber products as well as treated lumber. The company employs over 500 people and produces more than 300 million MBF of finished goods each year. For more information, please visit www.canfor.com.
About S.C. Department of Commerce
The S.C. Department of Commerce works closely with economic development professionals throughout the state to recruit new jobs and investments and help existing businesses grow. Commerce has been recognized for its success in the areas of job creation and economic impact by Area Development magazine and Southern Business and Development magazine. The S.C. Department of Commerce was one of 10 state economic development organizations to receive Area Development’s Silver Shovel Award in 2009 and Commerce ranked number two in the South in points per million residents by Southern Business and Development for the state’s 2008 job recruitment efforts. In addition to job and investment recruitment, the agency provides a range of business support services, offers grants for community development and infrastructure improvements, and provides tools to enhance workforce skills. For more information, visit www.SCcommerce.com.