NESA

Plastics

The plastics industry is one of the world's fastest-growing industries and what better place to locate your facility than in the northeast region of South Carolina.  Home to some of the top plastics producers in the world such as Sonoco, Nan Ya Plastics, DuPont, Wellman Recycling, and Tupperware, the North Eastern Strategic Alliance (NESA) Region has the resources and workforce your need to be successful.

The NESA Region's workforce is ranked third in the United States and first in the Southeast in terms of productivity.  The region is also home to many sites and buildings that are well-suited for the plastics industry as well as an abundance of water and sewer capacity and many rail-served sites.

Why locate your plastics facility in the NESA Region?

Reliable and Low Cost Electricity

  • Average electrical rates are $0.05/kWh and back-up power generation is available.

Qualified Workforce

  • Industry wage rates that are 7% below national averages
  • Population base of over 680,000 with a labor draw of over 340,000 workers
  • Seven colleges and universities within the region
  • Per capita income of $28,333
  • One of the lowest unionization rates (4.1%) in the nation

Infrastructure

  • Interstates 95, 20, and the proposed Interstate 73
  • U.S. Highways 17, 378, 52, 521, 701, 301, 1, 501
  • Florence Regional Airport and Myrtle Beach International Airport
  • Class I CSX rail
  • Port of Georgetown

The Region is also conveniently located within 45 minutes of:

  • Interstates 26 and 77
  • Charlotte Douglas International, Columbia Metro, Charleston International airports
  • Port of Charleston and Port of Wilmington

Employee Training Programs

  • ReadySC, a division of the South Carolina Technical College System, is a pre-employment training program provided at no cost to employers and is 100% customized to fit the needs of new and existing businesses.
  • The Southeastern Institute of Manufacturing and Technology (SiMT) is the first facility of its kind in the U.S. and features an Advanced Manufacturing Center, a Virtual Reality Center, and a National Robotics Center.  SiMT offers open-enrollment, on-site, and customized training as well as manufacturing startup assistance and consulting services.

 

Occupational Wage Rate Comparison

Occupation Title  USA  SC  NESA 
   Median Hourly Wage
 
 
Production Occupations $13.53  $13.26  $12.53 
First-Line Supervisors/Managers of Production and Operating Workers  $23.40  $24.02  $23.38 
Assemblers and Fabricators, All Other  $13.42  $10.52  $9.29
Computer-Controlled Machine Tool Operators, Metal and Plastic  $15.65  $15.22  $16.40 
Cutting, Punching and Press Machine Setters, Operators and Tenders, Metal and Plastic  $13.10  $12.61  $13.88 
Drilling and Boring Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic $14.54  $14.65  $15.72 
Lathe and Turning Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic  $15.61  $16.69  $13.93 
Machinists  $16.94 $15.25  $15.19 
Molding, Coremaking and Casting Machine Setters, Operators and Tenders, Metal and Plastic $12.70  $13.36  $10.66 
Multiple Machine Tool Setters, Operators and Tenders, Metal and Plastic $14.61  $14.20  $14.69 
Tool and Die Makers  $21.68  $20.37  $19.79 
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders $21.18  $23.82  $18.47 
Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating and Still Machine Setters, Operators and Tenders $17.28  $16.88  $16.81 
Extruding, Forming, Pressing and Compacting Machine Setters, Operators and Tenders  $13.46  $14.64  $14.18 
Industrial Engineers  $34.34  $32.32  $30.90 
Tool and Die Makers  $21.68  $20.37  $19.79 
Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders  $21.18 $23.83 $18.47
Source: US Department of Labor: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2007; NESA (extrapolated data)


To learn more about why you should locate your plastics facility in the NESA Region, click here to download our Plastics Brochure.

"We found exactly what we wanted in Lake City-a great location with excellent transportation infrastructure, a fantastic labor pool, and a community that welcomed us with open arms."

Carl Hannigan
President

IFHIFH Foodservice Distribution,
International Food House