Tag: announcement

Harbor Freight Tools Grows South Carolina Footprint with New Operation in Anderson County

Harbor Freight Logo

COLUMBIA, S.C. Harbor Freight Tools, a leading retailer of tools and equipment, today announced it is growing its South Carolina footprint with a new operation in Anderson County. The company’s $30 million investment will create 36 new jobs.

 

Founded in 1977, Harbor Freight Tools is a retailer of value-priced, high-quality tools and equipment, including hand, power, automotive and industrial tools. The company established its first South Carolina operation, a distribution center located in Dillon County, in 2002.

Harbor Freight Tools plans to lease a 76,171-square-foot research, development and innovation facility located at 130 Frontage Road in Piedmont. The new facility will consist of office space, research and development labs, and a warehouse for the design, development and testing of tools.

Operations are expected to be online in late 2025. Individuals interested in joining the Harbor Freight Tools team should visit the company’s careers page.

The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project.

QUOTES

“Today’s announcement strengthens our well-established partnership with Harbor Freight Tools. The company’s decision to invest and create 36 jobs in Anderson County is a major vote of confidence in South Carolina, and we proudly support Harbor Freight Tools’ newest operation in our state.”
-Gov. Henry McMaster

“We are thrilled Harbor Freight Tools decided to continue doing business in South Carolina by establishing a new research and development facility in Anderson County. This $30 million investment is great news for the Upstate, and we look forward to the company’s continued growth in the years ahead.”
-Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III

“We are pleased that Harbor Freight has chosen to grow their company in Anderson County. The announcement of $30 million in capital investment and 36 new jobs will offer an opportunity for a brighter future for many in our area. This project is a great fit for Anderson County, and I look forward to seeing them grow.”
-Anderson County Councilman Jimmy Davis

FIVE FAST FACTS

  • Harbor Freight Tools is growing its South Carolina footprint with a new operation in Anderson County.
  • The company’s $30 million investment will create 36 new jobs.
  • Harbor Freight Tools is a leading retailer of tools and equipment.
  • The company will be located at 130 Frontage Road in Piedmont, S.C.
  • Individuals interested in joining the Harbor Freight Tools team should visit the company’s careers page.


About S.C. Commerce

Welcome to South Carolina. The new headquarters of American innovation. As the state’s lead economic development agency, the South Carolina Department of Commerce (S.C. Commerce) works to recruit and support companies of all sizes in their quest to launch, expand and build a legacy. With proactive, strategic initiatives that help the agency create economic opportunities to increase choices for all South Carolinians, S.C. Commerce champions new and existing businesses and partnerships that fuel emerging and established industries alike. S.C. Commerce is the principal collaborator for SC NEXUS, a consortium of state leaders in government, utilities, higher education and other stakeholders exploring advanced energy. Recognized for its pro-business climate and policies that have attracted global brands and industry leaders, South Carolina is committed to maintaining the state’s long-term competitiveness while building a modern economy — one that is diverse, supporting businesses at every phase of their lifecycle – allowing people to live and work where they love. For more information, visit www.sccommerce.com.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Kelly Coakley

Director of Marketing and Communications

South Carolina Department of Commerce

(803) 737-1998

kcoakley@sccommerce.com

www.SCcommerce.com

RunVirt, LLC Celebrates Grand Opening with Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

June 28, 2024

Anderson, South Carolina RunVirt, LLC is pleased to announce the grand opening of its new facility with a ribbon cutting ceremony today, June 28, 2024, at 10:00 am.  The event took place at their new building at 933 Highway 29 S, Suite D in Anderson, South Carolina.

The ceremony featured remarks from the County Administrator, Rusty Burns, and Councilman Glenn Davis, along with a guided tour of the new facility.  Local dignitaries, community leaders, and local business partners were expected to attend.

RunVirt, a leader in participant identification, moved into this new facility after starting out as a small start-up company in the incubator space provided through the Anderson County Economic Development office. RunVirt entered the incubator program in January of 2023 as a solopreneur-based business, and thanks to the incubator program, was able to hire their first employee and begin to scale. By the end of the first year of the incubator program, RunVirt doubled its sales. This explosive growth in sales allowed RunVirt to open its own facility with a state-of-the-art production line, never before used in the participant identification space. Now with a new production line and larger team (now up to 6 employees) RunVirt is poised for more growth and innovation within its industry and looks forward to partnering with the ACED and all that Anderson County has to offer!

 

QUOTES

 “Starting RunVirt has been a labor of love for me and my family. What began as my first out-of-college job trying to learn a trade has turned into a lifelong obsession with “participant identification,” of all things. When I created RunVirt, I had the luxury of spending close to a decade in various positions related to the production of a very specific product: the Race Bib.  That said, I had ZERO experience starting a small business and all that comes with it. Luckily for me, I was able to meet Burriss Nelson and his excellent team at ACED and get started with the Incubator program at 1428. It’s hard to start from ZERO. How do you afford enough space when you are just getting started? How can you scale? They were our cheat code, and paramount in helping RunVirt go from a “hobby” business in the bonus room of our house, to a full-fledged manufacturer with a state-of-the-art production line right here in Anderson County within the span of a year.”

RunVirt, LLC Founder Tyler McGraw

 

“I am excited to officially welcome RunVirt to Anderson County, specifically Council District Two. Our success in economic development recruiting in 2024 and over the past several years is unprecedented. The County’s primary aim is to encourage continued economic development through strategic, efficient modernization of our technology and public services infrastructure.”

Anderson County Councilman Glenn Davis, Council District Two

 

For more information about RunVirt, please visit their website at www.runvirt.com.