South Carolina Commerce

SC Quick Reference

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

AIRPORTS: Any location in South Carolina is within about an hour of a commercial airport, especially one of five primary airports located at Columbia, Charleston, Florence, Greenville-Spartanburg and Myrtle Beach. Nearly 70 general aviation and public use airports are also available for private air service.

Charleston International Airport (CHS): Daily direct flights available to most major domestic hubs across the nation.
Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE): One of five primary airports serving the state, with daily direct flights available to most major domestic hubs across the nation.
Florence Regional Airport (FLO): Daily direct flights available to most major domestic hubs across the nation.
Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport (GSP): One of five primary airports serving the state, with daily direct flights available to most major domestic hubs across the nation.
Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR): Daily direct flights available to most major domestic hubs across the nation.
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT): Just north of Rock Hill and within a few hours’ drive of most South Carolina locations.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL): This airport in adjacent Georgia is within a few hours’ drive of most South Carolina locations.
United Parcel Service (UPS): One of several major carriers serving the state. Has a Southeastern regional hub at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. Offers next-day, second-day and third-day air service; designed to process 42,000 packages an hour.
Federal Express: Large processing facility located at the Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport.

ARTS: Cultural arts are evident in many forms across the state, in small towns as well as metropolitan areas.

Dock Street Theatre: In Charleston, it is the first permanent structure erected
in the original 13 colonies solely for theatrical performances. Still in operation today.
Koger Center: Performing arts center in Columbia.
Newberry Opera House: Performing arts center in central South Carolina.
Peace Center: Performing arts center in Greenville.
Ranking: AmericanStyle magazine ranked Charleston in its top 25 arts destinations for small cities and towns (populations under 100,000) in 2006.
Spoleto: The late opera composer, Gian Carlo Menotti, put Charleston on the art-world map when he founded the 17-day Spoleto Festival USA in 1977 as a mate to his Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto, Italy, started in 1957. Held annually, some 80,000 tickets are now sold for the more than 120 performances during late May featuring music, visual arts, theatre and dance. It truly is international, with performers, artists and visitors from around the world. Piccolo Spoleto, Spoleto’s little sister, runs concurrently with Spoleto but focuses on regional talent, with many free events offered.

CAREER CLUSTER EDUCATION: The South Carolina Education and Economic Development Act was passed by the S.C. legislature in 2005 to ensure high school students will graduate with marketable skills. Requires eighth graders to select a preferred cluster of study and develop an individual graduation plan. The state has identified 16 career clusters, and high schools are offering at least three of these clusters as of the 2007-08 school year.

CLIMATE: Hot summers and mild winters characterize South Carolina. Precipitation is abundant and fairly evenly distributed throughout the year. The subtropical climate found in most of the state arises from the combination of the state’s relatively low latitude, its generally low elevation, proximity of the warm Gulf Stream in the Atlantic and the Appalachian Mountains, which in winter help to screen out cold air from the interior of the country. South Carolinians enjoy outdoor activities year-round, thanks to the temperate climate that means more days to golf and play tennis and few weather-related business interruptions.

COLLEGE SPORTS: Competitive conference play, in-state rivalries and excellent facilities make college sports a popular pastime.

Baseball: Both the University of South Carolina and Clemson are perennial powerhouses, holding national rankings throughout recent seasons.
Basketball: The USC men’s basketball team won the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 2005 and 2006, and Clemson reached the NIT championship game in 2007. Winthrop University’s basketball team has created more “March Madness” in the state through its participation in recent NCAA tournaments.
Football: Clemson and USC traditionally have nationally recognized teams and routinely win bowl bids. During the 2006 football season, ESPN originated its popular College GameDay show from Columbia and Clemson.
Golf: Clemson won the NCAA golf championship in 2003, and several Clemson alumni are PGA contenders.
Soccer: Clemson’s men’s soccer team is competitive nationally, holding two national championship titles and participating in the “final four” in 2007. The men’s soccer team at USC is also a national competitor and often ranks in the top 10.
Track and Field: The USC women’s outdoor track team is a national championship contender annually, winning the title in 2002, tying for second in 2005 and having 11 consecutive top-10 national finishes.
Ranking: Sporting News has recognized Clemson and Columbia in its “Best Sports Cities” ratings. University of South Carolina Athletics, Clemson Athletics, Winthrop Athletics

COMPANIES WITH DISTRIBUTION CENTERS IN SOUTH CAROLINA:

The adidas Group, Spartanburg County
Disney Direct Marketing, Union County
Dollar General, Union County
QVC, Florence County
Ross Stores, York County
ScanSource, Greenville County
Target, Kershaw County
Walgreens, Anderson County
Wal-Mart, Laurens and Chesterfield Counties

CONSTRUCTION: Construction costs in South Carolina are more than 25% lower than other states and almost 15% below national average. For example, the Marshall Valuation Service Index of Construction Costs ranks construction of steel-framed buildings in the state at 14% below national average. The temperate climate allows for year-round construction.

CORPORATE INCOME TAX RATE: At 5%, it is among the lowest in the Southeast. South Carolina is currently phasing in a single factor sales formula for apportioning income that will be fully implemented by 2011.

CORPORATE LICENSE TAX: Rate is $1 for each $1,000 of capital stock and paid-in or capital surplus, plus $15 annual fee.

CYCLING: A wide variety of terrains make recreational or competitive cycling a popular choice.

Races: Greenville hosts the annual U.S.A. Cycling Professional Championships, holds the yearly Greenville Classic bicycle race and has hosted stages of the former Tour DuPont.
Ranking: Bike Magazine has recognized Greenville as one of the five best towns for living and bike riding.

ENERGY CAPACITY: South Carolina’s four generating utilities have a combined capacity to support a net summer capability of 22.551 gigawatts.

Duke Energy
Progress Energy
Santee Cooper
SCANA
Costs: The size and number of utilities in the state have led to some of the region’s most affordable power costs. Industrial power costs in the state average only 4.55 cents per kilowatt hour, one of the lowest rates in the nation (about 20% less than the national average). In addition to favorable rates, service and reliability are not sacrificed to maintain costs.
Natural Gas: Two interstate pipeline systems and intrastate pipelines provide abundant supplies of natural gas to South Carolina’s manufacturers. The rates and services are subject to regulation by the S.C. Public Service Commission.
Public Service Commission of South Carolina
South Carolina Energy Office
Santee Cooper: The state-owned electric and water utility that generates power through electric cooperatives across the state. Oversaw more than $6.7 billion in capital investment and 38,000 new jobs since 1988.
SCANA: Since 1989, SCANA has awarded $13.2 million in economic development grants in its service territory, leveraging over $686 million in total funding and creating over 31,000 jobs.

FILM: Since 1988, more than 100 feature films have been shot in the state. Many TV shows, commercials and catalogs are also filmed and photographed here every year. Production companies have spent more than $410 million in South Carolina in the process.

Locations: Have duplicated Southeast Asia (“Forrest Gump,” “Rules of Engagement”), the desert (“Chasers”), New York City (“Die Hard: With a Vengeance”), 1700s America (“The Patriot”) and many leagues under the sea (“The Abyss”). Other notable titles using South Carolina for locations include: “The Big Chill,” “The Great Santini,” “The Prince of Tides,” “The Notebook,” “Ace Ventura II: When Nature Calls,” “Sleeping With the Enemy,” “GI Jane” and “The Legend of Bagger Vance.”
Training Programs: Trident Technical College trains the crew, University of South Carolina trains the producers/directors and Clemson University trains the digital artists that create special effects or even entire films.
TV Series: “Army Wives” for the Lifetime Network in 2006 was South Carolina’s first.

GOLF: South Carolina claims more than 400 championship golf courses, including three courses on Golf Digest’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses (Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course and Cassique Course and Graniteville’s Sage Valley) and seven of the magazine’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses.

Heritage Golf Tournament: Now sponsored by Verizon. Has been held since 1969 at the world-famous Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island. This PGA Tour event follows The Masters every year.
Kiawah: The internationally recognized Ocean Course on Kiawah Island has been the setting for the 1991 Ryder Cup and 2007 Senior PGA Championship and will host the 2012 PGA Championship. Appearing on many “best” U.S. golf course lists, the Ocean Course is also designated a “Certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary” by the Audubon Sanctuary System.
LPGA: Returned to South Carolina with the Ginn Tribute Hosted by Annika Sorenstam in Charleston in 2007, featuring a $2.6 million purse. This inaugural event by Ginn Sports Entertainment, LLC will honor a different LPGA historic figure each year.
Ranking: In Travel + Leisure magazine’s recent listing of America’s 100 top golf communities, Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton ranked second and Kiawah Island ranked fifth. Ten golf communities in the Upstate and Lowcountry were included in the Top 100.

HIGHER EDUCATION: Higher education opportunities are convenient and include internationally recognized research institutions, liberal arts colleges, technical education programs, public and private, large and small. Programs fit every need, interest and pocketbook and cover postdoctoral studies, advanced degrees, bachelor’s or associate degree programs or special interest classes like real estate buying or ethnic cooking. More than 210,000 students are enrolled in one of the state’s 33 public institutions or 20 private schools.

University of South Carolina (USC) Economic Assistance: USC businessLink is a service provided by USC to bring together economic development and research resources, including the Small Business Development Center, Center for Manufacturing and Technology, Columbia Technology Incubator, Industry Contracts Unit and Intellectual Property Office. The service offers one point of contact, making it simple to get information or assistance from USC on needs such as developing a basic business or finance plan, solving productivity and capacity utilization issues, developing a technology business start-up, outsourcing expensive research and development and licensing inventions and innovations.
Moore School of Business: U.S. News & World Report ranked this graduate program in international business first in the nation among public universities and second overall; it has been ranked first or second overall for 18 consecutive years. The magazine again ranked the undergraduate international business program first in the nation overall for the eleventh consecutive time. Forbes, Financial Times of London, Wall Street Journal, Journal of International Business Studies, The Economist, Business Week and International Business Review have recognized the Moore School for its outstanding programs and faculty.
Clemson University: U.S. News & World Report ranked Clemson thirtieth among all public national universities in 2007. The magazine ranked Clemson’s Department of
Environmental Engineering and Science twentieth (2007) in the nation and twelfth (2007) among public universities for programs of its kind. Clemson is one of the top-50 regional and top-100 national institutions for entrepreneurs according to Entrepreneur magazine (2004). The school has been recognized by Time, The Scientist, The Princeton Review, Kiplinger’s and others.
Medical University of South Carolina: The oldest medical school in the South, it has developed nationally ranked research centers for cancer, marine biomedicine and proteomics (protein study), and a pharmaceutical clinical testing and development center. MUSC operates a 600-bed medical center, which includes a nationally recognized Children’s Hospital and a leading Institute of Psychiatry.
The Citadel: With an enrollment of more than 1,900, the Corps of Cadets is the nation’s largest military college program outside the service academies. U.S. News & World Report places The Citadel as number two in public colleges granting master’s degrees in the South and ranks its engineering school among the top 50 undergraduate engineering programs in the nation. The Citadel leads the state’s public colleges and universities in its four-year graduation rate of approximately 60%. About one-third of graduating cadets are commissioned into military service following graduation.

HISTORY: Steeped in Southern history and American heritage, South Carolina’s historic communities reflect a rich past. Festivals, re-enactments and annual commemorations are celebrated statewide, and museums and archives across the state are treasure troves for professional and amateur historians alike.

Coastal Settlement: In 1670, English colonists established the first permanent European settlement in the Carolinas on the Ashley River, northwest of downtown Charleston. Today, this location has been preserved as the Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site. A popular visitors’ destination, the site is also the location for archaeological excavations for American Indian artifacts.
Inland Settlement: Camden is the state’s oldest inland town, originally laid out in 1732. Some 60 sites pre-date 1865, and a National Register-designated district is the essence of Camden. From cottages to spacious mansions, the district is the reflection of Camden’s almost 275-year-old history, ranging from the Revolutionary War era to the antebellum South to the winter residences built in the early 1900s.
Palmetto Tree: South Carolina is known as the Palmetto State for the role the distinctive tree has played in its history. Commemorated on the state flag as well as on the state seal, the tree is a symbol of the defeat of the British fleet at Sullivan’s Island in 1776. The fort, built by the colonists to watch the Charleston harbor, was built with spongy Palmetto logs that absorbed the impact of the cannon balls.

HORSES: A number of key factors play important roles in making South Carolina a haven for both horses and horse lovers.

Aiken: Aiken is one of the greatest training grounds for thoroughbred horses in the entire country and home to the Aiken Thoroughbred Racing Hall of Fame. Aiken’s climate of mild winters and early springs first attracted the equestrian classes. The soil produces grasses ideal for horses, with hundreds of horses in training each year. The Aiken Horse Show, held annually for more than 90 years, is set in a 2,100-acre urban forest preserve in the town’s center. The Aiken Steeplechase Association, founded in 1930, hosts two steeplechase racing events sanctioned by the National Steeplechase Association each year, the Imperial Cup in March and the Holiday Cup in October. The Aiken Triple Crown, held each spring, involves flat racing, steeplechase and polo.
Camden: Long associated with horses, Camden is home to the Springdale Race Course where the Carolina Cup is held every March and the Colonial Cup is held every November. The Carolina Cup, established in 1930, is the largest race on the National Steeplechase Association’s racing circuit, attracting over 70,000 fans. During the winter season, as many as 1,500 thoroughbreds are “in residence” at Camden’s training facilities.
Elloree: A premier race for thoroughbreds and quarter horses is the Elloree Trials, held each March in this town halfway between Columbia and Charleston.
Polo: Played in Aiken for at least 125 years. Whitney Polo Field, built by New York financier William C. Whitney in 1882, may be the oldest in the country. The third oldest continuously active polo field in the United States is in Camden.

INCENTIVES, DISCRETIONARY JOB DEVELOPMENT CREDIT (JDC): A discretionary incentive that rebates a portion of new employees' withholding taxes that can be used to address the specific needs of individual companies. JDCs are approved on a case-by-case basis by the S.C. Coordinating Council for Economic Development (CCED). To qualify, a company must meet certain business requirements.

INCENTIVES, STATUTORY JOB TAX CREDIT (JTC): A statutory incentive offered to companies, both existing and new, that create new jobs in the state. The credit is available to companies that establish or expand manufacturing facilities, distribution and processing facilities, corporate headquarters, research and development facilities and qualified service-related facilities.

Other Credits: Include Research and Development Tax Credit, Corporate Headquarters Credit, Investment Tax Credit, Textile and Retail Revitalization Credit, Port Volume
Increase Credit, Ethanol or Biodiesel Credits and Corporate Moratorium.

INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITY: South Carolinians’ southern drawl is evidently understood around the world.

Exports: South Carolina’s exports increased $4 billion from 2001 to 2006 – a rise of 30%. In 2006, the state exported $13.6 billion worth of products to 197 countries. More than $3 billion of South Carolina’s exports go to Canada, the state’s number one export market. Germany is the state’s second top export market and Mexico ranks third in exports. South Carolina’s most impressive growth market recently has been China. Combined exports to China, Hong Kong and Macau rose 12.5% to more than $869 million, ranking fourth and surpassing the state’s most historic trading partner, the United Kingdom. As the state’s exports to China rapidly approach the $1 billion mark, China is proving to be a strong consumer and avid purchaser of South Carolina goods. China’s top purchases include machinery, cotton yarn and fabric, plastics, chemicals and aluminum.
Export Products: The state’s leading product sector export is transportation equipment, with more than $3 billion in exports in 2006. Other top export product sectors are machinery, plastics, rubber, organic chemicals and paper and paperboard.
Foreign-Affiliated Companies: According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis in 2005, the state ranked second in percent of private industry employment in majority- owned, non-bank, foreign-affiliated companies with 7.0% (110,400 employees).
Foreign Investment: So many German companies have flocked to the Greenville/ Spartanburg area, that the local nickname for one stretch of I-85 is “the Autobahn.” Since 1990, international companies have invested more than $25 billion in the state.
FTZs: South Carolina has three Foreign Trade Zones. FTZ 21 has sites in Summerville, Goose Creek, Charleston, Loris, Myrtle Beach and Mt. Pleasant; FTZ 38 has a site in Columbia; and FTZ 127 has sites in Duncan, Greer and Wellford.
Manufacturing: The foreign company affiliate shares of employment in 2005 has South Carolina as the third highest in the nation (20.9%, 55,500 employees). Japan, Germany,
United Kingdom and France are the countries accounting for most of the majority-owned, foreign-affiliated employment in the state. South Carolina has 637 foreign-affiliated firms, with 455 of these firms majority-owned.
Offices Around the World: To provide enhanced market access for South Carolina businesses involved in exporting, the state’s Department of Commerce has four foreign offices. Munich, Germany serves Europe, while the Tokyo, Japan and Shanghai, China offices cover the Far East. Another office in Toronto, Ontario serves Canada, South Carolina’s top export market. The state has had an official presence in Europe and Asia for decades, and more recently Canada, reflecting how the mutually positive relationships between the state and foreign countries have grown and solidified. Support from the global offices of other partner organizations such as the U.S. Commercial Service, World Trade Centers Association and U.S. Chamber of Commerce, gives Commerce’s export managers a variety of tools to introduce South Carolina companies to importers in most any location on the globe.

JOBS FOR AMERICA’S GRADUATES-SOUTH CAROLINA (JAG-SC): This South Carolina program is an affiliate of Jobs for America’s Graduates, Inc. (JAG) (www.jag.org). The JAG Model is a statewide dropout prevention and workforce preparation program for at-risk youth delivered in the classroom through the support of school and business partnerships. The ultimate objective of the JAG Model is to help these young people secure a quality job that will lead to a good career, either directly after high school or after further education at the post-secondary level.

JOBS-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY (JEDA): JEDA enhances the business and economic climate of the state through loans, investments, exportation and the promotion of services and capital revenue produced within the state. JEDA seeks to provide innovative financial direction and offer products and tools to promote growth and competitiveness among new and existing businesses, create jobs and improve living conditions in South Carolina. Created in 1983, JEDA has assisted with the creation of nearly 57,000 jobs for small and medium sized businesses and closed more than 750 loans representing more than $4 billion total.

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LIBRARIES: The Richland County Public Library (RCPL) in Columbia was named National Library of the Year in 2001. The honor, given by Library Journal and The Gale Group, was based on service, creativity and leadership. RCPL, with a main location and nine branches around the county, ranks eighth among urban libraries serving populations of 250,000-499,999 on Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings 2005, published in American Libraries magazine. Only two public libraries in the Southeast ranked in the top 100: RCPL and the Sarasota, Florida library. Some 70% of county residents hold library cards.

LIFE SCIENCES ACT: The Life Sciences Act, passed in 2004 by the state legislature, increased biotech-related incentives and research funding for companies engaged in pharmaceutical, medicine and related laboratory instrument manufacturing, processing or research and development. It provides incentives for life science companies investing $100 million or more, creating at least 200 jobs and paying 150% of the lower of state or county per capita income.

LOCATION: South Carolina truly has it all: mountains, foothills, sandhills, coastal plains, beaches and tropical sea islands. Its geography, natural resources and moderate climate facilitate transportation, construction and daily living.

Catalog of Locations: South Carolina has a land area of more than 30,000 square miles, with available acreage and spec buildings in practically every county carefully cataloged on databases. The Department of Commerce can readily provide information about some 300 buildings and almost 400 sites.
Home Cost: The average home sale price in South Carolina in 2006 was $160,000.
Interstates: South Carolina is crisscrossed by five interstate highways: I-85, I-26, I-77,
I-95 and I-20. Offering excellent east-west and north-south access, these interstates are enhanced by another 41,000 miles of state-maintained highways.
MSAs: The 10 metropolitan statistical areas in the state include Greenville, Charlotte/York, Columbia, Augusta/ Aiken, Myrtle Beach, Sumter, Florence, Charleston/North Charleston, Anderson and Spartanburg.
Proximity to Markets: South Carolina is halfway between New York City and Miami, about 650 miles to each metro area measured from the centrally located capital city of Columbia. With the national population shifting to the South, companies choosing South Carolina are closer to their markets and benefit from efficient truck and rail routes and top-quality port and airport operations. A South Carolina manufacturing or distribution site is within a day’s drive of half of the nation’s fastest-growing markets. South Carolina is also located within 1,000 miles of 35 states and roughly 75% of the total U.S. population (206 million people). These strategic advantages have been recognized by such businesses as BMW, Bosch, Bridgestone/Firestone, General Electric, Google, Michelin and Starbucks, as well as distribution warehouses by such national names as adidas Group, Dollar General, Target, Walgreens and Wal-Mart.
Ranking: Expansion Management magazine has ranked Charleston/North Charleston and Columbia MSAs as “5-Star Logistics Metros” and Greenville and Spartanburg MSAs as “4-Star Logistics Metros,” further highlighting the state’s excellent market access.

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MOTORSPORTS: NASCAR racing has developed into a major pastime in the U. S., and South Carolina has been there from the beginning.

Darlington Raceway: Open since 1950 and known as the track “Too Tough to Tame,” Darlington is the first superspeedway built for NASCAR racing. The 63,000-seat track hosted the Southern 500 until its last running in 2004 and now hosts both NASCAR (including the Dodge Avenger 500) and Silver Crown racing, which features 1,800-pound cars powered by 750-800 horsepower engines fueled by methanol and capable of straightaway speeds in excess of 190 mph on paved ovals longer than one mile.
Research: Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU- ICAR) houses a graduate school of automotive engineering and plans a motorsports technology neighborhood. Clemson’s engineering graduates work on various racing teams.

NATURAL SETTING: South Carolina’s varied geography provides natural beauty enjoyed by more than 30 million visitors to the state annually. From the foothills of the Appalachians in the northwest to the 187 miles of Atlantic Ocean coastline to the east, residents and visitors also enjoy leisure activities on the many rivers and lakes in-between. Hiking and biking trails, dozens of forests and parks, wildlife refuges and preserves can be found from the mountains to the beach.
South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism
South Carolina State Parks

Ashley River: In Charleston, this designated S.C. Scenic River was once the main highway for plantations during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and is an estuary of great natural beauty with a delicate ecosystem.
Boat Registrations: South Carolina ranks eighth among the states in the number of boat registrations with 416,763.
Chattooga River: Begins amid the massive boulders and deep gorges of the Blue Ridge Mountains and moves through a 2,500-foot drop and 50-mile-long rampage to Lake Tugaloo. Class I riffles to chaotic Class V waterfalls provide heart-pounding thrills for the canoers, kayakers and rafters of the eastern United States’ most-visited river, designated a National Wild and Scenic River in 1974.
Congaree National Park: A designated Wilderness Area, International Biosphere Reserve and Globally Important Bird Area. The largest intact tract—11,000 acres—of old growth, ancient floodplain forest in North America. Located east of Columbia, the park has some of the tallest trees in eastern North America with loblolly pines as tall as 15-story buildings. The park has tremendous biodiversity with 700-plus different kinds of plants and 170 species of birds.
Edisto River: In the state’s Southeastern corner. Listed by National Geographic Adventure magazine as one of its “50 Amazing Places Like Nowhere Else On Earth” because it is the longest undammed blackwater river in North America.
Fishing: Freshwater fishing (for striped, smallmouth and largemouth bass, and rainbow and brown trout, plus other fish) has a total economic impact of over $717 million in South Carolina. Approximately 571,014 acres of marine habitat are suitable for the cultivation and harvest of shellfish. Fresh and saltwater fishing tournaments are held across the state. South Carolina has more than 630,000 acres of bays and estuaries, with 67% of these waters approved by the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for culturing and harvesting seafood. U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Forests: More than 13.6 million acres of forestland exist throughout the state, about 74% in private ownership.
Lakes: Marion, Moultrie and Murray, popular leisure destinations for boating and fishing, together encompass 221,000 acres of water surface and are all man-made lakes built to furnish hydroelectric power plants. Other lakes offering opportunities for outdoor activities and waterside living are Wateree, Wylie, Hartwell and Jocassee. Lake Murray near Columbia covers 78 square miles and has 520 miles of shoreline—more than South Carolina’s entire Atlantic coastline. South Carolina Lakes
Rivers: South Carolina’s scenic and inviting rivers offer some of the finest and most varied paddling in the Eastern U.S. With 11,000 miles of rivers, numerous lakes and coastal waters, paddlers can choose from rushing whitewater rivers, moss-draped swamps, tannin-stained black rivers or salt marshes.
Timber: Number one cash crop in many of South Carolina’s 46 counties. The forestry and wood products industry is valued at over $9.1 billion a year, employing 35,000.
Trails: Traverse all types of terrain and climate. Opportunities include hiking though the Mountain Bridge Wilderness, riding horseback along the Palmetto Trail in Manchester State Forest, mountain biking along a tree-covered single track or jogging through urban parks. Walkers, hikers, cyclists, equestrians, motorcyclists, ATV users, paddlers and nature lovers all enjoy the state’s trails.
Waccamaw National Wildlife Refuge: Near the Atlantic coast. Encompasses 55,000 acres and surrounds Sandy Island, the largest undeveloped freshwater island on the East Coast.

NUCLEAR POWER: South Carolina has the most nuclear capacity of all Southeastern states. It ranks third among the 31 states with nuclear power capacity. Four nuclear power plants supply about half the state’s electricity demand, with several new ones slated to come on line by 2015 pending the completion of licensing and construction. Nuclear power has been generated by plants in the state since the early 1970s.

Nuclear Power Stations: Oconee with three reactors, operated by Duke Energy; Catawba with two reactors, operated by Duke Energy; Robinson with one reactor, operated by Progress Energy; V.C. Summer with one reactor, operated by SCE&G. A plant with two reactors has been proposed for Cherokee County by Duke Energy and the Southern Company.

PERMITS: Environmental requirements are overseen by the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), which seeks to work cooperatively with the state’s business community while it maintains a safe environment.

Approval Rate: Less than 1% of all environmental permits applied for in South Carolina are challenged. DHEC holds the authority to implement federal permits in the state. Aware of the importance of new industry, DHEC gives priority to the review of new facilities, thus reducing turnaround time for permit issuance.
Fees: Permitting fees, both initial and maintenance, are comparable or lower than those in most states. Local and regional agencies have not enacted local environmental compliance or permitting requirements, with the exception of the standard local wastewater system use ordinances. South Carolina has no state law requiring the preparation of environmental impact statements.

POPULATION: South Carolina’s population is 4.3 million, with 1.6 million households. The state is the nation’s tenth fastest growing (2005-06) and the fourteenth fastest growing state (2000-06), based on percentage change. Thirty-six percent of the state’s population growth comes from inmigration.

PORTS: The Port of Charleston is one of the busiest container ports on the East Coast and the seventh largest container port in the United States. The deep harbor and high ridges allow the port to serve ships of 6,700 TEUs, and its close proximity to the open sea saves valuable time. In 2006, the port handled 1.97 million TEUs.

Ranking: The world’s largest ocean carrier, Maersk Line, ranked the port as the company’s most productive port. World Trade magazine named the Port of Charleston, which hosts more than 40 shipping lines, as #1 in customer satisfaction in 2006.

PROPERTY TAX: In South Carolina, only local governments may levy property taxes. A company’s property tax liability is a function of: Property Value (less depreciation) x Assessment Ratio x Millage.

Fair Market Value: To determine fair market value, real property is appraised, while tangible personal property is recorded at cost and then depreciated based on a statutory depreciation rate (for manufacturers) and income tax depreciation (for other businesses). The fair market value is then assessed at rates established in the South Carolina Constitution. The local millage rate is applied to the assessed value to determine the property taxes. Millage rates in South Carolina are site specific and set annually by local government. A mill is equal to $0.001.
Property Tax Exemptions: Include inventories (raw materials, work-in-progress, finished goods), intangibles (stocks, dividends, interest) and pollution control equipment. A partial property tax exemption, called an abatement, is available to manufacturing, research and development, corporate headquarters, office and distribution facilities meeting certain requirements.

RAIL: CSX Transportation, Norfolk Southern and seven affiliated and independent lines combine to offer rail service seven days a week in every metro area, operating almost 2,300 miles of rail. In 2005, more than 87 billion tons of freight moved over South Carolina railroads. Both CSX and Norfolk Southern also offer daily, double-stack train express services (inbound and outbound), providing customers efficient access to market gateways in the Northeast, Midwest, Canada and Mexico, while eliminating costly double handling of goods.

readySC™ WORKER TRAINING: Since 1961, South Carolina has consistently led the nation in assisting business and industry with recruiting and training qualified workers through the technical education system’s award-winning readySC™ (formerly called Center for Accelerated Technology Training). readySC™ coordinates training needs at no cost for eligible new or expanding companies statewide. More than a quarter million workers have been trained for almost 2,000 companies since the program’s inception.

Ranking: Expansion Management magazine’s poll of corporate site location consultants in June 2007 ranked the state as the nation’s fourth best in workforce training programs.
South Carolina has ranked in this list’s top five for the past eight years.
Services: Workforce recruiting and testing, curriculum and materials development, custom training and project management. Provided through state tax dollars at minimal or no cost to the qualifying client.
readySC™ snapshot:
6726: students trained 2006-07
90: companies served 2006-07
46: new projects 2006-07
50: expanding projects 2006-07
246,412: students trained from inception of program September 1961 through 2007
1,892: companies served September 1961 through 2007
Example of programs: ISO 9030, Total Quality Management, team building, supervisory development training, statistical process control

RESEARCH: Research has been, and remains, a top priority in South Carolina initiatives.

Centers for Economic Excellence Program: The state legislature passed the South Carolina Research Centers of Economic Excellence Act in 2002, establishing a competitive grants program to award South Carolina’s three research universities (Clemson, MUSC and USC) funds for endowed professorships in areas that will enhance economic opportunities for the state’s citizens. The intent of the program is to create a critical mass of senior researchers around whom a “Center of Economic Excellence” can be built. Such a center will include other senior and junior faculty, graduate students and public/private partnerships with business and industry. University grants are matched dollar for dollar with capital from the private sector. To date, 35 programs and 62 endowed chairs have been approved for funding. Scholars in cutting-edge areas have been recruited to accept these chairs and propel their research to the next level. Endowed chairs have been established in areas such as advanced materials, automotive systems integration, optical materials, supply chain optimization and logistics, neuroscience, translational cancer therapeutics, nanostructures and hydrogen fuel cells.
Business Assistance: Clemson, USC and MUSC have nationally recognized training programs and research initiatives. Clemson and USC have extensive engineering coursework related directly to the requirements of South Carolina’s industries as well as research centers dedicated to new technology. MUSC has developed a comprehensive clinical testing program and houses one of the nation’s FDA-approved pharmaceutical development centers. MUSC uses its biomedical research results for economic growth with the private sector in grant contract research, licensing and new company development. The relationships between South Carolina companies and these schools have resulted in numerous successes including technology transfer, competitive advantages and access to modern manufacturing technologies.
Fuel Cells: USC hosts the National Science Foundation’s first Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) for Fuel Cells, established in 2003 to help industry advance the technology and commercialization of fuel cells. The South Carolina Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Alliance is a public-private collaboration for cooperative and coordinated utilization of resources in the state used to advance the commercialization of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies. Founded in January 2006, the Alliance was created by six core institutions and organizations devoted to hydrogen and fuel cell initiatives (The Center for Hydrogen Research, Clemson, Savannah River National Laboratory, the S.C. Department of Commerce, South Carolina State University and USC). Center for Hydrogen Research is a unique facility specifically designed to realize the full potential of hydrogen and its commercial applications. The center is the result of a strategic partnership and collaborative effort between the Aiken County Economic Development Commission and the Savannah River National Laboratory. It is by far the largest repository of hydrogen research, data and expertise in the United States today.
NIH Grants: South Carolina ranks eleventh in growth rate (57.82%) of National Institute of Health grants and contracts, 2001-2005. Charleston ranked fifty-seventh on the list of top 100 cities with NIH awards.
R&D: Industry-financed R&D at South Carolina colleges and universities rose 43% over past six years (2000-05)—the sixth highest growth rate in the nation. Federal R&D support to South Carolina colleges and universities grew 36.5% from 2000 to 2004.
Clemson Advanced Materials: The Clemson Institute for Advanced Materials and Manufacturing (CIAM2) is a partnership between Clemson, other universities, nonprofit organizations, industry and government. CIAM2 supports industries and governmental agencies in retaining their global competitiveness—coupling research with rapid, efficient development of new products and processes. The Advanced Materials Research Laboratory houses a state-of-the-art electron microscope facility, one of the best in the United States.
Clemson Automotive: CU-ICAR (Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research) is an advanced technology research campus housing automotive, motorsports and transportation research along with graduate automotive engineering programs. The Computational Center for Mobility Systems (CU-CCMS) is CU-ICAR’s technology anchor and is installing a 10-teraflop computer system that will be 10 times more powerful than anything in use in S.C. and will rank in the top 150-200 research-oriented systems worldwide.
Clemson Engineering: Named by the NSF as a Center for Engineering Logistics and Distribution (CELDi), an Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC), in 2006. Also site of the U.S. Navy’s Composites Manufacturing Technology Center and the NSF’s Engineering Research Center focused on fibers and films.
MUSC: Home to 730 National Institute of Health investigators, a National Cancer Research Center, Marine Biomedical Research Center and National Proteomics Research Center studying the composition, function and interaction of proteins in living cells. MUSC—the oldest medical school in the South—in 2006-07 recorded 1,076 research awards for $193.2 million, representing a $3.9 million increase over the previous year.
USC’s Innovista: This research campus has been designed to integrate public and private sector research in a vibrant, living/learning/working urban setting. Innovista is focusing on four research “clusters”: future fuels, biomedical, nanotechnology and environmental sciences.
USC Ranking: In 2006, USC earned The Carnegie Foundation’s top research designation, one granted to only 62 public and 32 private institutions.

RURAL DEVELOPMENT: Of the state’s 46 counties, nearly all are contiguous to a metro area. In 2006, about 35% of announced investments in the state were located in rural counties.

South Carolina Rural Summit: The state offers an annual opportunity for government and community leaders to collaborate and discuss economic development initiatives within rural communities. The South Carolina Rural Summit has produced creative and innovative ways to address issues that impact rural communities while fostering economic prosperity.

SALES AND USE TAX: South Carolina’s sales and use tax rate is 6%. Counties, by approval of a majority of county voters, may assess an additional 1-2% local option sales tax. Proceeds go toward infrastructure improvements or rollback of property taxes. A variety of sales tax exemptions for companies are offered.

SOUTH CAROLINA RESEARCH AUTHORITY: The SC Research Authority, a public, non-profit corporation with 200 employees, owns and operates three research parks (Charleston, Anderson and Columbia). A global leader in applied research and commercialization services, SCRA collaborates to advance technology for industry, government and academia with research universities like Clemson University, the University of South Carolina and the Medical University of South Carolina. Some 90% of its work is defense related.

Expertise of SCRA: Advanced energy alternatives, advanced metals, biomedical and bioinformatics, collaborative technologies, composite materials, e-commerce, ISO standards development, manufacturing technologies, systems interoperability, nanotechnology, ship building and supply chain logistics and standards. Services offered by SCRA are assessments and demonstrations, engineering (software, process, system), information protection, product design and data interchange, and research and development (medical, manufacturing, composites, metals).
SC Launch! : This program is to help generate knowledge economy jobs by providing qualified entrepreneurs and researchers with such tools as counseling, facilities, seed funding and ongoing mentoring.

SCHOLARSHIPS: Retaining South Carolina’s best and brightest is the goal for several college scholarship programs funded by the General Assembly through S.C. Education Lottery proceeds. More than 85,600 scholarships totaling $116,856,427 were bestowed to students in fall 2006. Lottery tuition assistance for fulltime students at two-year public or independent institutions is also available and based on need.

Legislative Incentive for Future Excellence (LIFE) Scholarship: Merit-based. Seeks to increase access to higher education, improve employability of students, provide incentives for students to be better prepared for college and encourage students to graduate from college on time. The number of South Carolina students attending state (public and private) institutions increased by 16% from the program’s inception in 1998 to 2006. Total number of LIFE Scholarships has increased 95.5% from 1998 to 2006 (from 14,292 in 1998 to 27,940 in 2006). LIFE Scholarship awards for freshmen (first time and other) have increased 98% (from 6,002 in 1998 to 11,910 in 2006).
Palmetto Fellows: Recognizes the most academically talented high school seniors in the state. Some 80% of students eligible to receive a Palmetto Fellowship accept and attend college in the state, keeping more of South Carolina’s outstanding students at home. In 2006, more than 4,700 freshmen entered South Carolina colleges as Palmetto Fellows.
HOPE Scholarship: Merit-based. For freshmen only who do not qualify for the LIFE or Palmetto Fellows awards. In 2006, 2,371 students were awarded HOPE scholarships.

TECHNICAL EDUCATION: The S.C. Technical College System is comprised of 16 community-based technical colleges throughout the state and the innovative readySC™ program.

Technical Colleges: Offer degree, diploma, certificate and continuing education programs in more than 130 areas. They serve close to 240,000 students—nearly one in 14 South Carolinians over the age of 18, most state residents who remain in the state to work. In 2005-06, enrollment in degree and certificate programs was more than 75,000. More than half of state residents enrolled in public higher education in the state are enrolled at a technical college, and more than half of students enrolling at a technical college in fall 2007 were over 21. South Carolina’s technical colleges excel at creating and implementing “demand-driven” programs designed to meet the needs of specific businesses and industries, while also providing opportunities to build and expand general skill sets that help enhance overall workforce readiness.

TELECOMMUNICATIONS: South Carolina has a highly reliable world-class communications network, which was designed and engineered to meet the wireless, high-speed Internet access and voice service requirements of industry. This network is comprised of digital switching centers and copper and fiber optic cable. To ensure continuity of service, redundancy is an integral component of this network.

Computer Systems: Not only are integrated computer systems a vital part of an organization’s operations but they often provide a competitive advantage. The ability to work with local experts in the design, maintenance or even outsourcing of these systems is a necessity for many businesses. South Carolina is home to a number of the nation’s leading computer-related companies. For example, CSC Corporation, a leading developer of software for the insurance industry with offices worldwide, is headquartered in Columbia.
Intel’s CDC: Located in the center of the state and comprising a total of 45,000 square feet of office and lab space in two business parks, Intel Columbia is home to the Columbia Design Center (CDC). Established in January 1998, CDC is Intel’s premier research and development location in the southeastern United States. Here, product development teams are focused on the development and validation of new high-end telecommunications servers.
Internet: South Carolina has 464,917 high-speed lines (over 200 kilobits per second in at least one direction) connecting homes and businesses to the Internet, 18 times the number of lines in 1999. Only 12% of South Carolina ZIP codes have no high-speed Internet lines in service.
SCETV: In satellite communications, teleconferencing has been a specialty of South Carolina Educational Television (SCETV) for more than 30 years. SCETV has a telecommunications center that aims to deliver cost-effective digital satellite services to
users throughout the state.

TENNIS: More than 22,000 South Carolinians are members of the United States Tennis Association (USTA) —more USTA members per capita than any other state in the Southeast except Georgia.

Family Circle Cup: Played every April in Charleston. Attracts the top ranked women tennis players on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour. The Cup is one of 10 Tier 1 events, a tournament with minimum prize money of $1.34 million.

TORT REFORM: A 2005 tort reform law has put limits on frivolous litigation and where suits can be filed. It changes the law on who pays what share of damages and shortens the period from 15 to eight years in which suits can be filed over poor construction.

TOURISM: Tourism is one of South Carolina’s dominant industries, with tourist spending about $16 billion annually. Tourism supported employment of 208,083, or 11.2% of total state employment.
South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism

Gardens: Middleton Place near Charleston is the home of America’s oldest formal gardens. Brookgreen Gardens near Murrells Inlet displays the world’s largest collection of outdoor sculptures nestled among 2,000 species of plants. Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau
Ranking: Travel + Leisure magazine’s “World’s Best Awards” recently named Charleston as fourth best in the top 10 American and Canadian cities. The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island has garnered a 4-star rating with Mobil’s Travel Guide, and Travel + Leisure ranks it at 31 on its Top 100 hotels list and eleventh on its top 25 hotel spas list. Condé Nast Traveler magazine has rated Charleston as one of its top 10 travel cities in the United States for more than 10 years. This national publication ranks Kiawah Island as second on its top islands list, Wentworth Mansion in Charleston at sixth on its top hotels list, and Inn at Palmetto Bluff in Bluffton second on its top resorts list. Charleston Place and its restaurant, Charleston Grill, repeatedly receive top honors in travel listings (both hotel and restaurant awarded Mobil’s 4-Star Ratings), along with the Woodlands Resort in Summerville (a Mobil 5-Star hotel) and the Planters Inn’s Peninsula Grill (a Mobil 4-Star restaurant).
Sports Tourism: Watching and participating in sports is a prominent pastime. Offerings include minor league baseball, high school and college level athletics, professional hockey and soccer teams, professional golf in Augusta (The Masters) and Hilton Head (Heritage), professional tennis in Charleston (Family Circle Cup), steeplechase horse racing in Camden (Carolina and Colonial Cups) and Aiken (Imperial and Holiday Cups) and NASCAR races in Darlington and Charlotte. Organized youth and adult sports activities abound in every county.

WATER AND AIR: Clean and clear-ideal for business and pleasure.

Air: The state’s air quality ranks among the highest in the nation.
Water: Some 33 billion gallons of clean water per day flow through the state from two of the largest river basins on the East Coast. South Carolina has an abundance of surface water resources. Four major river basins in the state— the Savannah, ACE (Ashepoo, Combahee and Edisto), Santee and Pee Dee—include 11,000 miles of rivers and streams. Currently, about 5.8 billion gallons are withdrawn daily from the state’s surface waters to supply municipal, industrial, agricultural and thermoelectric power generation needs. About 6% of this water is used consumptively and not returned to the resource. The surface water resource supports many instream uses such as hydroelectric power production, wastewater assimilation, navigation and recreational activities including boating, swimming and fishing. High-tolerance wastewater systems in South Carolina require less pretreatment, resulting in lower operating costs for wastewater disposal.

WORKFORCE: Trained, able and qualified workers ready to excel. A wide variety of Workforce Investment Act (WIA) services are also available to strengthen the competitive edge of businesses.

Employment: From 2003 to mid-2007, 170,000 more people are working in the state. Between 1995 and 2005, the number of people employed each year in South Carolina grew by 10.5%. The workforce (employment) is projected to grow 15% over the next 10 years, 2006 to 2015.
Export-Related Jobs: About 7.4% of South Carolina’s manufacturing employment is supported by exports. South Carolina ranks fourteenth in the number of total jobs—141,500— linked to manufactured exports. The state tied for first in the percent of manufacturing-related export employment as a percent of private sector employment (9%). South Carolina ranks thirteenth in the number of manufacturing jobs—66,900—linked to manufactured exports, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce International Trade Administration.
High-Tech: Employees in high-tech jobs number almost 120,000, which is 7.8% of the state’s private sector employment, according to employment data using NAICS codes from Science and Engineering Indicators 2006.
Manufacturing: Accounts for 12.9% of the state’s nonagricultural workforce. The average hourly manufacturing wage in South Carolina for 2006 is $15.03.
Productivity: The state ranks sixth in the South for productivity based on value added per worker in manufacturing in 2005, according to Congressional Quarterly’s State Fact Finder 2007.
Rankings: Business Facilities magazine ranked South Carolina the thirteenth lowest state based on cost of labor in 2006, while the Milken Institute’s 2007 Cost-of-Doing-Business Index ranked South Carolina with the sixth lowest business costs among the 50 states. The MAC Index for 2004- 05 (Manufacturing Alliance of Connecticut) ranked South Carolina with the fifth lowest costs among the 50 states. Actuarial & Technical Solutions found South Carolina to be the tenth lowest in workers’ compensation for manufacturing industry costs in 2006. The 2006 Oregon Workers’ Compensation Premium Rate Ranking from the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services shows South Carolina’s cost per $100 of payroll is $2.50, ranking twenty-fourth lowest among the 50 states and District of Columbia.
Right-to-Work: South Carolina is a right-to-work state and an employment-at-will state. According to the Bureau of National Affairs for 2006, South Carolina’s unionization rate is 3.3% for all employees, tied for the lowest unionization rate in the U.S.; 2.2% for private sector employees (fiftieth out of 51); 2.8% for private manufacturing employees (fiftieth out of 51). It has one of the lowest work stoppage rates in the nation, averaging less than 0.01 percent working time lost due to strikes.
Workers’ Comp Reform: In 2007, the state’s workers’ compensation system was reformed to stop increasing insurance rates and inject predictability and consistency into the state’s system. The reforms include abolishment of the Second Injury Fund, effective July 1, 2007, stronger language for costly “repetitive trauma” claims, stricter requirements for medical expert testimony and changes to the “50% back” rule.
Workforce Investment Act (WIA): In South Carolina, WIA seeks to meet the needs of businesses for skilled workers and the training, education and employment needs of individuals. Key components of WIA enable customers to get the information and services they need through the “One-Stop” system, empower adults to obtain the training they find most appropriate through individual training accounts and ensure that all state and local programs meet customer expectations. Training providers apply to a local Workforce Development Board for certification as an eligible training provider to receive WIA funds. The WIA in the state has grown to serve more than 14,000 workers and 200 businesses annually through training.
WorkKeys®: Job skills assessment system measuring real-world skills.
VirtualOneStop System: This system provides assistance to job seekers or students searching for the right job and helps employers looking for the best job candidates. The site is a hub for South Carolina’s workforce services and focused on job openings and job candidates.
WIN Strategic Compass®: Designed to guide the integration of economic indicators, policies, programs and related resources with a state’s or region’s economic priorities. This online service is a unique tool that can be accessed by multiple stakeholders interested in the economic well-being of a specific geographic region.

ZOO: More than 850,000 visitors visit Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia annually. One of the nation’s most successful mid-sized zoos, since opening in April 1974, Riverbanks has won awards for exhibit design, breeding programs and marketing efforts. With more than 350 species from around the world, Riverbanks spans 170 acres and is the largest zoo and aquarium in the Southeast. Some 2,000 animals are housed in natural habitat exhibits using psychological barriers such as moats, water and light to create an environment free of bars and cages for animals. Opened in June 1995, Riverbanks’ Botanical Garden features scenic views of the Saluda River, wooded trails, historic ruins, visitor’s center, interpretive center and a spectacular walled garden.

Locate in SC

This Quick Reference section provides a wealth of information for any company looking to locate in the Palmetto State.

SC Quick Reference