Three Projects To Invest A Combined $136M In South Carolina

Creating a total 253 jobs, FlexCold will establish operations in Dorchester County; Element Designs will relocate to York County; and The Ritedose Corporation will expand in Richland County.

In South Carolina, cold storage warehousing and logistics company FlexCold will invest $49.9 million to establish operations in Dorchester County. The project will create 59 new jobs, and operations are expected to be online by late summer 2024.

“We are thrilled to be expanding our footprint by establishing operations within a modern cold storage facility strategically located close to the Port of Charleston,” said FlexCold Co-Founder Jeff Manno. “We’re proud to further add to the economic development of the area in a meaningful and tangible way by helping meet the need to accommodate critical import and export business, specifically seafood.”

Dorchester County, South Carolina
(Source: FlexCold)

Charleston-based FlexCold specializes in cold storage warehousing and logistics by providing customers with personalized cold storage expertise and targeting strategic locations that are advantageous to today’s evolving food supply chain. The company focuses on storing, handling, and distributing poultry, seafood, meat, packaged goods and frozen produce.

“We are proud to announce another innovative cold storage chain locating in South Carolina,” commented Gov. Henry McMaster. “It’s companies such as FlexCold that will continue to enhance our supply chain by providing profound ideas and cutting-edge talent. We welcome FlexCold and look forward to the positive impact that they will make in the state and the Dorchester County community.”

Located in North Charleston, the Dorchester County facility marks FlexCold’s first cold storage location in South Carolina and its second facility in the U.S. The new operations will include a highly modern, cold food storage facility to accommodate a diverse customer base with a focus on receiving a substantial amount of imported goods. Operationally, FlexCold will provide import and export services, U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration inspections, labeling and repacking, and cross-docking services.

“SC Ports has significantly upgraded its refrigerated capabilities to efficiently handle more frozen and fresh products for the growing Southeast consumer base,” said SC Ports President and Chief Executive Officer Barbara Melvin. “FlexCold’s investment will complement these efforts and further enhance the cold chain in South Carolina. This innovative facility will expand the ability to move more frozen products, such as seafood, through the Port of Charleston.”

Element Designs To Relocate HQ, Manufacturing Operations To York County

Element Designs will invest $5 million to relocate its headquarters and manufacturing operations to York County. The aluminum frame glass cabinet door manufacturer will bring approximately 100 new jobs to Fort Mill over the next five years. Operations are expected to be online in the second quarter of 2023.

York County South Carolina
Market Street South in Fort Mill, SC (Photo: York County Economic Development)

“We are very excited to move our headquarters to Fort Mill, SC. We already feel very welcomed and can’t wait to call it our new home,” said Element Designs President and Chief Executive Officer Mike Uebersax. “It will be a transformational move for our company. This new location and state of the art facility will not only provide us with the necessary room to grow, but it will also be a testament to what we as a company want to be recognized for: an innovative industry leader that produces beautiful products in a sustainable way. Its proximity to our current location was also very important as we want our incredible team to move with us and enjoy the benefits of this new space to call home.”

Charlotte-based Element Designs’ product offerings have expanded to include custom glass and acrylic surfacing solutions and components. All products are made and fabricated in the U.S., with manufacturing processes that use water-based coatings and recycled materials to create products for customers across North America.