Huntington Foam Announces New Facility in Spartanburg County
January 2, 2011
Investment expected to generate 60 new jobs
COLUMBIA, SC – December 23, 2010 – The South Carolina Department of Commerce and the Economic Futures Group of Spartanburg County today announced that Huntington Foam LLC, a custom shape molder of polystyrene and specialty foam shapes for the appliance, furniture, consumer electronics and automotive industries, is locating a new manufacturing facility in Spartanburg County. The company is investing more than $5 million and is expected to create 60 new jobs over the next few years.
“We are pleased to open our new facility in Spartanburg County. The new facility will allow Huntington Foam to meet the growing demand for our products and services. Spartanburg County provides us with an excellent strategic location and we were able to find a building in Greer that perfectly suits our needs. South Carolina provides an exceptional business environment and a strong workforce,” said Gary B. McLaughlin, president of Huntington Foam LLC.
The new facility is located in the Caliber Ridge Industrial Park in Greer. The company has leased an 81,000-square-foot portion of an existing building in Greer and is outfitting the site to support multi-press manufacturing with state-of-the-art molding equipment.
“Huntington Foam is a leader in the packaging industry with a wide variety of clients. The announcement serves as a reminder that South Carolina’s business-friendly climate and skilled workforce are important factors in attracting investments that create job opportunities for South Carolinians. The state must continue its efforts to hold taxes and regulatory burdens low so that we may see more investments like this one. We congratulate Huntington Foam on its investment and wish the company success here,” said Joe Taylor, Secretary of Commerce.
The company is on the leading edge of packaging technology. Using advanced computer modeling techniques with finite element analysis, Huntington Foam can specially design and test custom-made packaging for any client. This process plays an important part in the creation of the company’s Clearview™ packaging, which does away with most of the corrugated used in traditional packaging and allows customers to see package contents while protecting it better than conventional corrugated boxes.
“We are grateful for the partnerships with the Economic Futures Group and the South Carolina Department of Commerce that bring Huntington Foam to the City of Greer,” said Wryley Bettis, chairman of the Greer Development Corporation. “The investment by the Liberty Property Group in the City of Greer has paid off in attracting world-class companies like Huntington Foam. New capital investment and new jobs bring new opportunities to further diversify Greer’s strong local economy.”
Huntington Foam is celebrating 20 years in business this year. In addition to the new plant in Spartanburg, Huntington Foam operates plants in Brockway, Pa., Greenville, Mich., Fort Smith, Ark., Guadalupe, Mexico and Ramos Rizpe, Mexico.
“We are extremely pleased that Huntington Foam is locating a new facility here. The Economic Futures Group, along with key allies in Greer and at the S.C. Department of Commerce, was able to secure this operation, and Spartanburg County will benefit from this investment now and in the future,” said David Britt, chairman of Economic Development Committee of Spartanburg County Council and board member of the Economic Futures Group.
“Having a company like Huntington Foam LLC choose the Upstate is a positive sign for the region’s economy and we welcome their decision to grow as it will provide jobs and new opportunities for so many,” said Hal Johnson, president and CEO of the Upstate SC Alliance.
The company will begin hiring this month. Interested candidates for job opportunities with the company should contact LaTokia Trigg of the readySC team at 864-592-4158 or via email at [email protected].
For more information about the company, please visit www.huntingtonfoam.com.
About S.C. Department of Commerce
The S.C. Department of Commerce works closely with economic development professionals throughout the state to recruit new jobs and investments and help existing businesses grow. Commerce has been recognized for its success in the areas of job creation and economic impact by Area Development and Business Facilities magazines. The S.C. Department of Commerce was one of 10 state economic development organizations to receive Area Development’s Silver Shovel Award in 2009 and Commerce received the 2009 Deal of the Year award from Business Facilities magazine. Southern Business & Development also awarded the S.C. Department of Commerce the “Deal of the Year” for the 2010 SB&D 100. Commerce received the recognitions for Boeing’s selection of North Charleston for the company’s second final assembly plant to support the 787 Dreamliner program. In addition to job and investment recruitment, the agency provides a range of business support services and offers grants for community development and infrastructure improvements. For more information, visit www.SCcommerce.com.
