NEWBERRY COUNTY — Industries within Newberry County were the “Toast of the Town” on Tuesday when Newberry County government hosted an industry appreciation event that highlighted economic development over the last year.

“We are all about economic development. We are so grateful for what you all are doing for Newberry County. You are the backbone of Newberry County and we cannot say thank you enough,” said Steve Stockman, chairman of the Economic Development Committee.

Toast of the Town is an event that is all about existing industry in Newberry County, and according to Rick Farmer, director of Newberry County Economic Development, the county is blessed from a manufacturing standpoint.

“Across the United States nine percent of the workforce is involved in manufacturing. In the state of South Carolina there is a little bit of a difference, it is 12 percent. In Newberry County it is 30 percent, three times the state average and quadruple the national average,” Farmer said. “It is what we do. This is not a big government hub. We do not have a military base. We do manufacturing and we do it pretty well, if you ask me.”

Farmer gave a rundown of economic development highlights over the past year, the first being that the Economic Development Department moved to a new office after doubling from one employee to two.

“Thank you Wayne (Adams, county administrator) and County Council for making it possible for our new offices. We absolutely love them. We are quite proud when a prospect comes in. We have this nice facility to show. We are very proud,” Farmer said.

Kara Cannon, an economic development specialist, has about a year and a half under her belt in economic development. She recently graduated from Institute, the first step in a economic development career, and she will go to Basic at UNC in Chapel Hill in July.

“When it comes to projects, obviously I cannot talk a lot about projects we are working on, but I can tell you about some we have completed. We worked more than 40 projects last year. That is roughly a new project every 10 days,” Farmer said. “2016 started slow, but come April/May it just took off. We went through the fall and the winter and it has not let up, I have never seen this level of economic development activity in my career, and we are just working it.”

2016 had three major announcements: Falcon Boats, MM Technics and the West Fraser expansion.

Farmer said that West Fraser is one of the county’s oldest and dearest existing industries.

“This is their second expansion in the last three years. In 2014 they had a $27 million expansion, and last year they announced a $33 million expansion. Our West Fraser facility is the most capitalized among the company’s southeastern group, which is like 13 facilities,” he said. “This new expansion, they introduced a new log merchandising system, which allows increased productivity by 37 percent, which is a pretty dramatic increase. We thank you West Fraser. We appreciate you believing in our community.”

When it comes to MM Technics, Farmer said they worked the project really hard, and are proud of the $13 million investment to the county.

“This project came to us on a wet rainy day in October of 2015. Mr. Adams and I flew over to Germany and toured the facility to get a better appreciation of how real things were,” he said. “We are very proud of the fact they chose Newberry County over the recommendation of the consultant. What that means is the consultant told them you should go to this other location. They chose us over that. I believe that says a lot about this community.”

In terms of product development, Newberry County Economic Development has been working non stop, trying to dig up new sites, work problems at existing sites and improving existing stops.

Something that helped in that department was the Capital Project Sales Tax, improvements to water infrastructure, which will increase the amount of water available at the Mid-Carolina Commerce Park.

Two buildings are on the market — Caterpillar and the former Blue Water Building, Farmer said.

“Last year we had very little product available. We had a spec building and that was about it. This year we have the Caterpillar building,” Farmer said. “I’ll tell you folks, that Caterpillar building, it was sounding like spin when I was telling people, yes the announcement of the closure of Caterpillar is a bad thing, but it is going to open up new opportunities for us.”

Farmer said that he has five prospects interested in the Caterpillar building, and they are working them all. His hope is that the building will not be closed for long, and those employees will not be unemployed for long.

Rick Farmer, director of Economic Development, speaks with Mayor Foster Senn.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_DSC_0088.jpgRick Farmer, director of Economic Development, speaks with Mayor Foster Senn. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

Toast of the Town played host to a packed house.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_DSC_0090.jpgToast of the Town played host to a packed house. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

Jamie Frost, with South Carolina Power Team, speaks to Crystal Waldrop, county purchasing director and Wayne Adams, county administrator.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_DSC_0079.jpgJamie Frost, with South Carolina Power Team, speaks to Crystal Waldrop, county purchasing director and Wayne Adams, county administrator. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

Jeff Burgess, with Fitts and Goodwin, and Karen Blackmon, with Coldwell Banker, speak during Toast of the Town.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_DSC_0085.jpgJeff Burgess, with Fitts and Goodwin, and Karen Blackmon, with Coldwell Banker, speak during Toast of the Town. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

Debbie Cromer and Kara Cannon pose for a photo.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_DSC_0086.jpgDebbie Cromer and Kara Cannon pose for a photo. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

Marty Baltzegar, with S&ME, picks up his name badge.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_DSC_0087.jpgMarty Baltzegar, with S&ME, picks up his name badge. Andrew Wigger | The Newberry Observer

By Andrew Wigger

awigger@civitasmedia.com

Reach Andrew Wigger at 803-276-0625 ext. 1867 or on Twitter @ TheNBOnews.