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South Carolina’s first economic development announcement in 2024 was in Fairfield County, and that’s no surprise. The fuse has been lit as Capital Concrete’s early January commitment to build its fifth construction materials plant here helps launch a new era of explosive growth now arriving in the most rural of the five counties that form the I-77 Corridor between Charlotte and Columbia.
“Rural” hardly means “isolated.” What “rural” does mean is that Fairfield County is uniquely positioned to accommodate industrial growth while preserving the quality of life inherent to a historic county of woods, fields, and waterways that is home to 20,000 people, while being able to draw on a labor force of 1.3 million people in the five-county region spanning Interstate 77.
Fairfield County is uniquely positioned to accommodate industrial growth while preserving quality of life.
That Capital Concrete plant is joining several established, diverse manufacturers in the Walter B. Brown II Commerce Park just off the interstate. In fact, nearly all the county’s available sites and buildings are within three miles of I-77 itself and within one-day ground access to 70% of the U.S. market.
Those sites may well fill soon. Explosive growth in advanced industries has arrived in South Carolina. Most notably locally, Volkswagen-backed Scout Motors has begun construction on a $2 billion electric SUV and pickup truck assembly plant in neighboring Richland County. Supplier fairs already have attracted hundreds of potential vendors, many of whom could target setting up shop nearby.
Established Sites And Successful Neighbors
Fairfield County is ready to accommodate those suppliers and new operations from multiple sectors. We have public control over more than 3,000 acres of land. That includes Fairfield Commerce Center, a Class A industrial park zoned for manufacturing with both a newly completed 91,000-square-foot spec building that’s expandable to 250,000 square feet and a pre-graded pad ready site that could support a 450,000-sf building.
Then there’s our 1,500-acre master planned I-77 International Megasite that has the ability to expand to double its size. It has a recently completed pre-graded pad that could accommodate a 1 million square foot building and is about to complete access road improvements that will provide a paved road to the site.
Newcomers here will join the ranks of established employers such as Dominion Energy’s 700-employee V.C. Summer Nuclear Plant and Element Electronics, a 500-employee operation that’s one of the only producers of American-made televisions. International firms also have set up shop here, including a mattress factory, construction and over-the-road truck equipment suppliers, and packaging specialists.
From Launch To Legacy: Infrastructure And Attitude
“Launch to Legacy” is the new branding effort from the S.C. Department of Commerce, an agency with an outstanding record of leading business-friendly efforts to attract and retain manufacturing business here in the Palmetto State. That includes long-standing commitment to investing in infrastructure, incentives, and training up a skilled, committed workforce.
Fairfield County, meanwhile, is an ideal host for some of the key sectors identified in the Launch to Legacy campaign, with our own focus on automotive and heavy equipment, advanced and light manufacturing, food and beverage, and distribution and logistics.
Our legacy also includes a long history of railroad access, proximity to Columbia Metropolitan Airport and its UPS and FedEx hubs, Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, and to the bustling Port of Charleston.
Interstates 77, 85, 20, and 26 are all nearby, as well. As for I-77, we’re expecting new exits to be built to accommodate growth, as is already happening for the nearby Scout Motors plant. That’s all part of the strategic plan we’re building out with all our local and state stakeholders working together to help new operations launch their own legacy.
Quality Of Life: Affordable And Attractive
Our ideal location gives our local employers access to a motivated workforce, top-notch colleges and universities such as the University of South Carolina and Midlands Technical College, and affordable, attractive housing and lifestyle options.
Fairfield County, meanwhile, will continue to offer a laid-back lifestyle in the finest traditions of the rural, small-town South. Once off the interstate, there is very little traffic, and the county offers a variety of outdoor amenities for citizens and visitors to enjoy.
We’re bordered on the east and west by Monticello Reservoir on the Broad River and Lake Wateree, respectively, two of the cleanest, prettiest lakes in South Carolina. Carolina Adventure World is one of the premier ATV parks in the Southeast.
There are also a variety of public parks and walking trails around the county and hunting opportunities for the sportsmen. There’s also the South Carolina Railroad Museum, with 12 miles of track plied by the only railroad of its kind for public riding in the state.
Our biggest town is Winnsboro, the historic county seat of 3,000 people with its nearly 200-year-old clock tower and heritage dating back to the days when South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies.
For cosmopolitan attractions, Columbia is only a half-hour drive to the south while Charlotte is an hour to the north. Columbia also offers an easy commute to and from Fairfield County’s emerging new industrial corridor along the interstate.
The Time Is Now For Fairfield County
For Fairfield County, the time is now as we have greenfield sites and a greenfield philosophy that are ready and waiting to help your firm locate and grow here with us.
“Fairfield County provides an ideal combination of location, infrastructure, availability, and affordability for industrial expansion. Our rural setting not far from big-city amenities just adds to the attractiveness of our community to companies interested in locating their operations and their families here, and we’re ready to give the green light to your company’s goals and dreams,” said Shirley M. Greene, Fairfield County Council Member and a Board of Directors member for the I-77 Alliance.
