SUMTER, SC (WIS) - For Sumter County and state economic development officials, one company's decision to set up a manufacturing operation in the Midlands is a all kinds of Au'Some.
Actually, that's the name of the company: Au'Some. It's a Chinese company.
"This manufacturer could have put this plant anywhere," said Greg Thompson with the Sumter Economic Development Committee. "They decided to put it right here. Their only North American facility in the United States."
The candy maker plans to hire 120 employees.
By April, they'll be turning out fruit-based treats like Nuggets and 3-Dees and shipping them from the county's Live Oak Industrial Park to retailers including Walmart, Target and Walgreens.
Company Chairman Jim Chan says South Carolina and Sumter pushed hard to attract Au'Some.
"Took us to visit different sites, introduced us to different programs. Incentive programs, infrastructure and so on. A lot of help really," said Chan.
Au'Some adds to a growing list of new employers in Sumter County.
One of the biggest, Continental Tires, is now working to clear land off Highway 521, also south of the city of Sumter.
"We're getting more and more people who want to develop around the Continental factory that's going to go up there," said Eugene Baten from Sumter County Council. "So we're asking people coming in, buying up land and so forth, wanting to open up stores around there so, we feel as though there will be a lot of spin off."
The Au'Some candy factory won't generate anywhere close to the 1,600 jobs expected at the Continental Tire plant site, but economic development officials in Sumter County have gotten a taste for success and they want more.
Copyright 2012 WIS. All rights reserved.
All content © Copyright 2000 - 2012 WorldNow and WISTV, a Raycom Media Station. 