Tobacco Company Expanding In Myrtle Beach Region

Over the next five years, Laudisi Enterprises, Inc. plans to add 35 employees at its Horry County, SC operations.

After considering other locations, a Myrtle Beach, SC area manufacturer, distributor, and retailer of tobacco pipes and artisanal tobacco blends has announced plans to expand and hire an additional 35 employees. Over the next five years, Laudisi Enterprises, Inc.—the parent company of SmokingPipes.com, Laudisi Distribution, Cornell & Diehl, Inc, and Low Country Pipe and Cigar—will invest $250,000 and hire an additional 35 full time employees at its Longs, SC operations.   

Myrtle Beach SC
(Photo: MBREDC)

“When we were first talking about expanding again in 2014 we began looking elsewhere, but we knew we wanted to stay in the Carolinas, so we talked to an EDC in North Carolina about incentives,” said Ted Swearingen, COO, Laudisi Enterprises, Inc. “But the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation showed us a lot of incentives we weren’t taking advantage of, like leveraging our community connection and the chambers of commerce … These were missed opportunities that we started making use of.”

To expand its operations in Horry County, Laudisi will lease an existing building near its facility in the Longs, SC area. Laudisi will hire a variety of production, distribution, support services, and customer support positions.

“It is always a great day when an existing industry expands in our community as it shows the strength of our support of local businesses and our dedication to assisting them in their long-term success,” said Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation (MBREDC) Chairman Neyle Wilson.

Sykes Wilford, CEO, Laudisi Enterprises, Inc. (Photo: MBREDC)

Laudisi Enterprises was founded in 2000 and has expanded and continued to grow its operations from online retailing to manufacturing and distribution over the past 17 years. The company currently employs approximately 80 full time employees at its Longs, SC facilities. Since 2013, Laudisi has been included on the Inc’s 5000 fastest growing private companies in the U.S. annual list, and www.SmokingPipes.com is now the largest retailer of premium pipes and pipe tobacco in the U.S.

“Laudisi is deeply committed to Horry County and we continue to see a bright future for the county,” said Sykes Wilford, CEO, Laudisi Enterprises, Inc. “The company has been in Horry County for 15 years as of this month. The changes we’ve seen here have been remarkable. We’re excited to continue to be a part of that story. Getting our latest expansion rolling has been quite the group effort, with support and guidance from the NMB and Little River Chambers of Commerce, SC Power Team, Horry Electric and, of course, MBREDC.”

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