Calhoun County honors industries; 7th golf tourney shows appreciation

ST. MATTHEWS — Calhoun County showed some love to industries located in the county during its 7th Annual Calhoun County Industry Appreciation Golf Tournament.

The 18-hole event was held Oct. 20 at Calhoun Hills Golf Complex. It featured 13 teams of four. Individuals on the winning team each received a $100 gift card and the second-place team members each received a $50 card.

“Existing industries are very very important,” Calhoun County Administrator and Economic Development Director John McLauchlin said about the tournament. “A lot of counties don’t put an effort on thanking the existing industries. Ultimately, they are the ones that support through good times, bad times.”

McLauchlin also said new prospects that come into the county often want to talk with existing industries to get a sense on how the economic and business climate is in the county.

“It is always best to keep them as happy as they can,” he said.

Calhoun County has 58 existing industries.

It can boast of globally recognized businesses such as Starbucks, one of only a half dozen roasting plants worldwide, and Devro Inc., one of the world’s leading manufacturers of edible casings.

Manufacturing and industry are important to the tax base for the county.

About 17.4% of the county’s workforce is employed in manufacturing and some of the county’s largest employers are manufacturers.

The county has access to Interstate 26; fully served infrastructure with utilities, rail and transportation; small-town charm in a rural setting with big-city amenities; and a low cost of doing business with taxes and affordable labor.

The industry-appreciation event included 22 sponsors for a total of $14,300 in sponsorships. Team composition is selected by sponsors.

About half the monies raised support the tournament, and the other half goes into the county’s economic development account for such things as industrial recruitment as well the county’s quarterly meetings with existing industries.

Chris Mixon of Mixon Holdings LLC, an industrial, commercial, residential developer for both Calhoun and Orangeburg counties, owns and manages a majority portion of the 761-acre Sandy Run Industrial Park at the Lexington-Calhoun county line.

The park has all utilities and is currently home to Zeus Industrial Products, Alpek/DAK Americas, Smart Warehousing and in the future Blanchard Machinery.

“Calhoun has a real opportunity for future growth,” Mixon said. “Logistically, Sandy Run is in a perfect spot just south of Columbia to facilitate that. It is an easy county to work with.”

Mixon said he and Danny Mixon, his father, would like to develop the property with retail, commercial (hotels) and larger industrial entities.

“My goal is to fill that up with South Carolina businesses but have that as their HQ,” Mixon said. “So it could be something to be proud of, especially for Calhoun County.”

Columbia-based Red Rock Development Chief Financial Officer Brandon Smith said Calhoun County is a great location to build.

The company owns 212 acres of the Sandy Run Industrial Park and has constructed a 500,000-square-foot speculative building in the park that houses Smart Warehousing. It plans to construct another 500,000-square-foot building in the park.

Red Rock plans to develop its portion of the park for large bulk warehousing, distribution and light manufacturing.

Smith said companies need buildings sooner rather than later and Red Rock is there to serve these companies and their needs with flexible speculative buildings.

“When you look at the vacancy here in Calhoun County for a new industrial, it is tremendously low,” Smith said. “These users don’t have a lot of options and we need to provide those options.”

Smith said what Red Rock looks for is labor and “Calhoun County offers a tremendous labor force.”

“That is what our tenants look for,” Smith said. 

Smith also said Calhoun County is business-friendly.

“We all want the same things: We want to develop buildings and they want the buildings to provide for the community to provide tax base, to provide jobs,” Smith said. “It is really a symbiotic relationship and they have been tremendous to work with.”

It was the third year the company has sponsored the event.

“I love just the people and seeing the activity in the community and the people that come out,” Smith said. “That is what makes the tournament.”

Though the event is a fundraiser and provides good fellowship, Smith was ready to bring home the gold. The company had finished second two years in a row.

“Why play if you are not gong to try to win?” he said. “There is definitely good competition out here, so we do have our eyes set on taking home the prize this year.”

And win the prize they did.

Joining Smith on the winning team were Cherie Sanderson, Kyle Clampitt and Kip Bouknight.

Alpek/DAK Americas (PTA) Pure Terephthalic Acid Operations Manager Alnesha Moses said the company prides itself on being family and community minded and that Calhoun County fits that description as well.

“Small town charm but we are really growing and focusing on growth and business and the economy,” Moses said.

Moses says the golf tournament is just another way to build camaraderie among county industries.

“It is nice to see the other companies in the county,” Moses said. “I think sometimes you can focus on your own business but you don’t see as much neighboring businesses.”

It was her first year participating in the tournament.

“I claim myself as one,” Moses said when asked if she is a golfer. “I am not very good, but I am always trying to get better. I definitely want my team to win. I want to shine.”

Michael Flintom, contract manager at Sandy Run’s Stier Supply Company, praised the county’s leadership for being pro-business and putting on the golf tournament. It is the second time he has played in the event.

“It brings awareness for all these companies that don’t get a chance to come out here to see this wonderful facility,” Flintom said. “There is always competition going on.”

Flintom noted he grew up on the golf course in Calhoun County and that he played football and golf at The Citadel.

“I definitely have the competitive juices flowing to try to win every time I go out,” he said.

Event sponsors included:

• Titanium: Civil Engineering of Columbia
• Platinum: Red Rock Developments, Stier Supply, S.C. Central Alliance and Tri-County Electric
• Gold: Miller Vallentine, Mixon Seed, DAK/Alpek Americas, ThermoKing, Blanchard Machinery.
• Silver: Dominion, Robinson Gray, Southland, Colliers, Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, Thompson Turner, Valet Tech, Alliance
• Bronze: Thomas and Hutton
• Hole: Major Graphics, Russell Ott, HPG.