Fairfield Economic Development

Chemicals

Aiken/Edgefield has had a strong chemical sector since the 1950s. In fact, more than 1,000 chemical engineers and technicians are in the workforce. Companies in this sector include Bridgestone/Firestone South Carolina, Cytec Surface Specialties, Halocarbon Products Corporation, and the Savannah River Site.

In close proximity to the petrochemical center of the Gulf Coast, companies in Aiken/Edgefield have easy access to oil-based raw materials. Raw materials can arrive via truck or rail through the ports of Charleston and Savannah, and area companies can quickly obtain other chemical supplies as needed from companies in Atlanta.

South Carolina’s industrial electric rates are the eighth-lowest in the United States. Both Aiken Electric Cooperative and South Carolina Electric and Gas can also provide duel feed electric service to better meet the demands of this sector. With competitive rates and excellent reliability, Aiken/Edgefield is an attractive location for companies in the chemical sector.

Plastics

The plastics industry is a growing sector in Aiken/Edgefield. Companies in this sector include Arnco Corporation, Edgefield Manufacturing Company, PACTIV Corporation, Shaw Industries and Trenton Plastic Products. The area’s labor force includes workers experienced in blow and injection molding, as well as nylon extrusion. This makes for an excellent foundation for expanding this sector further.

Because Aiken/Edgefield is positioned near a terminus of a Southern Natural pipeline from the Gulf of Mexico, industrial natural gas rates are less than those of at least 27 other states. Sites are available to meet this sector’s most demanding natural gas requirements with service from South Carolina Electric and Gas and South Carolina Pipeline.

Aiken/Edgefield’s water and sewer systems have excess capacity available to support the needs of plastics companies. Sites are available with excess capacity to handle companies with water and sewer in excess of 2 million gallons per day, not to mention the ability to expand their water and sewer system to meet future demands.

Automotive Technology

For automotive suppliers, Aiken and Edgefield are positioned two hours south of BMW’s Greenville assembly and less than three hours east of Ford’s Hapeville assembly and GM’s Doraville plant. Bridgestone/Firestone South Carolina, the world’s largest tire manufacturer, is already located in the region. Other automotive suppliers include Aiken Precision Technologies, Rieter Automotive Systems, Shinsho American Corporation and Newman Technology South Carolina.

Not only is Aiken near the center of the country’s automotive manufacturing, but it’s also near the center of the country’s automotive research. In Greenville, Clemson University, in conjunction with BMW, Microsoft, IBM, and NASCAR, has created the International Center for Automotive Research (ICAR), which brings together industry specialists and academia in the pursuit of revolutionizing the automobile.

Hydrogen Technology

As oil prices continue to rise, both government agencies and the private sector are beginning to explore alternative fuels more thoroughly. Scientists consider hydrogen as a viable alternative for electricity, natural gas, and oil, and the Savannah River Site is poised to become the leader for hydrogen research in the United States.

The Center for Hydrogen Research opened in October 2005. Aiken County built this 60,000 square foot facility to take advantage of local expertise in this field. Half of the space will be utilized by the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), while the other half is available for the private sector and academia. Companies are able to interact and contract services with the 50 hydrogen scientists and researchers from the SRNL. The Savannah River Site has over 60 years of expertise in the handling and storage of hydrogen, a critical component of fuel cells.

The Center includes a 150-person conference center, display area, board room and break room. Office and laboratory space is available for lease. In addition, Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (ICAR) is located in Greenville, and the University of South Carolina’s National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center for Fuel Cells is located in Columbia.