It’s Monday, and that’s when we like to take a look at current business issues that are trending across our state and discuss them with one of our fellow news media friends. This week, Mike Switzer interviews Jessica Holdman, a reporter with the South Carolina Daily Gazette in Columbia, SC. Jessica tells us about new business in the Midlands from Scout Motors and Westinghouse and she relates the latest updates from the SC Ports Authority.
TRANSCRIPT:
Switzer: Hello and welcome to the South Carolina Business Review. This, is Mike Switzer. It's Monday and that's when we like to take a look at current business issues that are trending across our state and discuss them with one of our fellow news media friends. This week we have Jessica Holdman, a reporter with the South Carolina Daily Gazette, a non profit news agency, and she joins us by phone now from her office in Columbia. Jessica, welcome back to the program.
Holdman: Thanks, Mike.
Switzer: So tell us what's showing up on your radar this week.
Holdman: Well, we've had a lot of news, really kind of coming out of the Scout Motors deal. Kind of like the way we saw with BMW. All of the suppliers followed the big manufacturing plant into the upstate. Now we're seeing that with Scout. they announced the company that makes the actual car seats that go into the car Bros. Sidetech is going to be moving into the supplier park that's actually on the Scout site. they're investing $30 million and planning to employ 330 people there at that, ah, 140,000 square foot facility. Scout also announced that existing car parts manufacturers, those that are in the upstate largely serving BMW already are expanding $82 million in total from seven different companies that are planning to send parts down to Scout as well. Spartanburg Steel accounts for almost half of that investment and they plan to add 60 new jobs.
Switzer: All right, well, sounds like the development of Scout Motors and the extra business that's bringing the state with suppliers and all is, coming together according to plan.
Holdman: It seems that way. And I believe you had gotten recently sort of a sneak peek on their first prototypes that are rolling off the line.
Switzer: Well, they had one parked outside the training center when we went to an event that, they had for the media at the training center. Yeah, it's a sharp looking vehicle. So. All right, so tell us, what else do you see?
Holdman: Well, Mike, we have been getting an update on operations down at the port. The last year or so had been a little tough for the port. They had the unexpected departure of Ms. Melvin, who had been the port's leader. Micah Mallace stepped in as the CEO. They left it up to him to sort of turn things around financially, so. So he gave his latest update. Right now it kind of sounds like the port has stopped the bleeding, so to speak. They've cut costs, now they're working on, okay, how do we build that business? One of the things he talked about was wanting to see more distribution centers in the state. So that cargo coming into the port has a retail audience. And isn't just reliant on the state's manufacturers. So he's kind of moving into stage two of, his turnaround plan. Also, we have learned as part of maybe those cost cutting measures as well, that Georgia and South Carolina ports have terminated an agreement that they'd had for quite some time for a joint Jasper county ocean terminal. Those plans are on hold indefinitely of both backed away from that deal for now.
Switzer: I don't think anybody would be surprised at that announcement that's been, hanging in the balance for many years now, it seems like.
Holdman: Right, yeah. So, they kind of finally decided to just cut bait on that one. They're sort of looking ahead on how do they boost cargo coming into Charleston. They've paused indefinitely operations at the Leatherman terminal for now. They have also stopped work on the rail facility. But Mr. Mallace says that there's a promise of a 6% increase in cargo on the books. So he's hopeful for the coming year.
Switzer: All right, Jessica, we have time for one more. What else do you see?
Holdman: Well, a big deal again coming in here to Richland County. Westinghouse, which has been making nuclear fuel in the lower Richland area for decades now, is making a major investment, $1 billion. They are creating a new plant on the same site that will be making a new kind of uranium, a new kind of fuel for nuclear power plants. This one is supposed to last longer so that the power plants can go greater time periods between having to refuel really kind of sets that plant up, which has had some environmental struggles over the years to be more environmentally friendly and also kind of signals that Westinghouse is going to be around for quite some time.
Switzer: All right, good news again for the Midlands. Well, Jessica, thank you so much for sharing today.
Holdman: Absolutely. Thanks, Mike.
Switzer: Jessica Holdman is a reporter with the South Carolina Daily Gazette, A nonprofit news resource here in our state. We will have a link to them posted at our webpage so you can learn more SouthCarolinaPublicRadio.org where you can hear this show again, and you can find us wherever you find podcasts. With the South Carolina Business Review, this is Mike Switzer.
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