Jim Fair
A track switcher was delivered by Norfolk Southern to the Moore Street rail line. The switcher will be used to lead container cars to rails for removal or storage.
During a presentation in Greenville last week Jim Newsome, President and CEO of the South Carolina Ports, said that Greer Economic Development has had 158 inquiries with 29 resulting in visits, since July last year.
“Without question there has been an increase in new contacts since the Inland Port was announced. Companies are seeking expansion and relocation,” Reno Deaton, Greer Development Corporation President, said. “It’s a credit to all groups involved that as the project was launched we were in a great position.”
Deaton explained the inquiries represent the earliest contact the GDC has with a company versus the 29 that have resulted with companies and representatives spending time in Greer. “It’s the nature of our business that we don’t take anything for granted when businesses contact us,” Deaton said.
Mayor Rick Danner said at the luncheon, the GDC has talked with companies that have from 50 employees to hundreds. Deaton does not comment on specific companies until a company makes its announcement entering a new market.
The visits don’t count two Danner has hosted for Chinese business delegations. In May he hosted a visiting business delegation from Dalian, China. Last week a delegation from Shenyang, where BMW and Michelin have manufacturing facilities, was taken to the Inland Port site as part of its tour.
Deaton said companies that make visits are as interested in the business environment, logistics and employee base as well as quality of life.
“The key for us is to identify at the earliest stage possible what is most important with company’s site selection,” Deaton said.
Newsome explained that BMW Manufacturing in Greer has committed to 20,000 containers a year in moving its product by Norfolk Southern rail to Charleston. There are 20,000 additional containers expected from various companies in the first year. BMW is constructing a $13.4 million, 414,000-square foot warehouse to be used as an assembly facility.
“BMW will have slightly knocked down vehicles (SKD) to send to places like Russia, India, Thailand . . . where custom duties are more favorable to SKD shipments,” Newsome told the Rotary Club of Greenville.
Newsome said he anticipates 100,000 containers will be moved annually at the Inland Port within the next five years.
“This (Inland Port) is the boiling point. Once it is opened we will see it bubbling,” Danner said.