Roofing products manufacturer IKO will invest $363 million to establish two new manufacturing sites in Chester County, its first operations in South Carolina. The company, which makes roofing, waterproofing and insulation products for residential and commercial markets, will create 180 new jobs at the facilities.
Located less than one mile apart, IKO will remodel an existing facility to manufacture fiberglass while building a new 325,000-square-foot manufacturing plant to produce fiberglass mats to be used for production at its U.S. shingle factories. The two facilities will be IKO’s first wholly-owned glass and glass mat facilities in South Carolina. Operations are expected to be online by late 2025.
“IKO is very pleased to be opening its first wholly-owned glass and glass mat facilities in South Carolina,” said IKO CEO David Koschitzky. “This is just the latest of many significant investments IKO has made to support a growing U.S. market presence. We are tremendously gratified by the warm welcome we have received from the state and local governments, and as a family run business, we look forward to joining the Chester County business community family for many years to come.”
The South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to this project.
“IKO’s announcement is a strong endorsement of the assets and potential of not just Chester County but all of rural South Carolina,” said Governor Henry McMaster. “This major $363 million investment and 180 new jobs will greatly strengthen the Chester County economy and set the stage for a brighter future. We look forward to growing our relationship with IKO for years to come.”
“We are thrilled to welcome IKO to the I-77 region! IKO is a leader in advanced materials, which is a great fit for the existing sectors in Chester County,” commented I-77 Alliance Interim President and CEO Christopher Finn. “One of the advantages is the strategic location along the I-77 corridor that allows companies to tap into both the Charlotte and Columbia metros, providing a labor shed of more than 1.3 million people.”
Erchonia Will Relocate Corporate HQ To Greenville County
In the latest news in South Carolina’s fast-growing life sciences sector, Erchonia Corp. plans to relocate its corporate headquarters from Melbourne, FL to Greenville County. The global laser technology manufacturer’s $6.7 million investment will add 51 new jobs to the state’s life sciences ecosystem, and will be its first South Carolina operations.
Erchonia will build a custom facility in Greenville’s South Chase Industrial Park to serve as its new corporate headquarters. Operations are expected to be online by October 2023.
“We are looking forward to the completion of our state-of-the-art facility that is being built to our exact specifications,” said Erchonia Corp. President Steven Shanks. “As the location of Erchonia’s new corporate headquarters, Greenville County is centrally located and is ideal for Erchonia’s planned growth and expansion as a world leader in low-level laser technology.”
Erchonia’s low-level laser technology (LLLT) uses low-level lasers at specific wavelengths to provide powerful therapeutic effects at the cellular level. Utilizing its LLLT, the company produces safe, effective products designed for physicians worldwide, including but not limited to chiropractors, physical therapists, physicians, podiatrists, health clinics and veterinarians.
“We are proud to welcome Erchonia to South Carolina,” said Gov. McMaster. “Their investment will help further drive innovation and generate new economic opportunities for our state and people. We look forward to creating a long-standing partnership for years to come.”
The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project.
“It’s always great when an innovative life sciences technology company like Erchonia establishes operations in South Carolina,” remarked South Carolina Department of Commerce Secretary Harry M. Lightsey III. “Announcements like this showcase the diverse environment our state has cultivated, and we are excited to welcome this company to Greenville County.”
Life sciences in South Carolina are the state’s fastest-growing industry since 2017, surging to more than $25 billion in annual economic impact and employing more than 87,000 South Carolinians. Life sciences has a growing presence in 42 of the state’s 46 counties.
“As a booming center of life sciences growth, Greenville County is honored when an industry leader like Erchonia chooses to expand here,” said Dan Tripp, Greenville County Council Chairman and Greenville Area Development Corporation (GADC) Board Member. “The company’s well-earned leadership in low-level laser technology supporting both medical and veterinarian markets, and its passion for being good corporate citizens where they operate, fit well in Greenville County, and we wish them success here long into the future.”