With the closure of International Paper and Georgetown’s steel mill, there are numerous competing interests looking to do business here. Here are some of the many companies already established.
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Screen Tight, Green Eagle & Ocean Decks
One of Georgetown County’s most interesting modern entrepreneurial stories involves Guerry Green and his visionary approach to the South Carolina screen porch.
Green, a home remodeling contractor in Pawleys Island, S.C., filed his first patent for the original porch screening system in 1990.
In 1994, Screen Tight began manufacturing all porch screening components and selling products through local lumber yards and major retailers.
In 1998, After listening to a customer’s feedback in the aisle of a home improvement store, the Screen Tight team began researching and developing a brand new type of screen door — the solid vinyl screen door.
In 2005, just five years after building a new plant in Georgetown, S.C., a devastating fire destroyed the manufacturing portion of the plant. Within 21 days, Screen Tight was back producing product. The plant was rebuilt and dried in within 120 days.
From 2009-2021, Screen Tight developed and patented aluminum porch screening systems Fast Track and Mini Track, and was awarded a patent for a method for winterizing porches with a clear plastic film. The company also began building wood and metal doors.
The development of these manufacturing technologies have led Green and his team to create an entire line of reinforced plastic products now used in decking, docks and a wide variety of other applications.
Green Eagle Reinforced technology makes plastic profiles up to 20 times stronger and can be used in decking, siding, windows, doors, railings and more. Its sustainable manufacturing process converts materials like carbon fiber, fiberglass or natural to a high-value composite that can easily be inserted into plastic profiles during the extrusion process.
Here’s Green’s firsthand account of the Green Eagle and Ocean Deck story, and how it evolved.
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Coastal Structures
Harby Moses formed Coastal Structures Corporation in 1990. He is a Clemson graduate with a degree in Building Science and Management and almost 40 years of experience in the construction field. Harby is involved in all aspects of contracting, construction, and running the business.
Coastal Structures prides itself on its experience working around various environments, from inside busy, fully-functioning hospitals (Tidelands Health, Conway Medical Center, Grand Strand Medical Center), to historic structures (Winyah Indigo Society, Kingstree Train Depot, Santee Gun Club, Kaminski House Museum), Coastal has a proven track record of completing highly successful jobs in complex and fragile work environments.
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Envirosep
Envirosep is a full-service engineering and manufacturing firm, specializing in innovative, modular fluid handling, heat transfer and energy recovery systems.
Founded in 1996, Envirosep’s initial business concept focused on engineering and manufacturing wastewater reuse equipment. In 1998, Envirosep was incorporated by Tim Tilley as Tilley Technologies, Inc. and soon began operations in Georgetown.
A manufacturing facility and engineering office was constructed in 2002, followed by expansions in 2012 and 2022. The most recent includes a 100,000 square foot, four-story manufacturing building addition with 80 tons of individual lifting capacity. Envirosep continues to expand its engineering and manufacturing capabilities and explore new market possibilities.
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SafeRack & SixAxis
Headquartered in Andrews, South Carolina, SafeRack is the global leader in bulk-loading safe access solutions.
SafeRack was launched in 2003 by Rob Hunnicutt and Fred Harmon, “two sales-guys-turned-entrepreneurs who, in 2002, went out on their own because they felt they could do things better.” According to the company’s public information, it was “built quite literally from dirt floors up, (and) has grown into a sustainable, integrated enterprise of innovative, market-facing brand solutions under its parent company, SixAxis, all with safety and compliance in mind.”
Products include metal stairs, work and loading platforms, gangways, loading arms, swivel joints and a wide range of safety equipment and supplies.
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Interfor
308 employees
One of the world’s largest high-quality forest products companies with operations across North America and customers around the globe.
Located in Georgetown, S.C., this 400-acre dimension lumber producing site was acquired in March 2015 from Simpson Lumber. In 2019, the planer was completely rebuilt, including a new autograder.
Sawmill capital has included a new stacker and optimization technology projects. Georgetown services both US Southeast and Northeast markets with truck and rail shipping.
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Coastal Asphalt
Founded in 2008, Coastal Asphalt is locally owned and operated, and offers a wide range of services related to paving, sitework, patching, concrete, sealcoating, milling, crack repair, underground cameras and more.
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Diatom
Diatom US is currently building an estimated $100 million advanced manufacturing plant in the Georgetown County Industrial Park in Andrews, S.C. The plant will be producing products used in tires, and already has customers in South Carolina.
DIATOMS, Inc. is a Brazilian technology/infrastructure finance company, driving progress and innovation through structured finance, tested technologies, strong counterparties, and private capital to solve the world’s largest environmental challenges.
The company was established by a group of global technologists, entrepreneurs, financial architects, engineers, political leaders, academics, blockchain experts and economists, working in partnership with large corporations to align interests alongside federal, state and local governments.
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Zilmet
Zilmet has built and is operating a plant in the Georgetown County Industrial Park in Andrews, S.C.
Zilmet, as a worldwide organization, has a rich history of manufacturing expansion tanks and other plumbing products beginning in 1955 with founder Mr. Ugo Benettolo. The second generation of the Benettolo family, led by Paolo Benettolo, has since strengthened and expanded the company’s reach to over 100 countries with the U.S. being one of the last frontiers added.
Zilmet USA was established in 2012 and is continuing to grow, now located in North Kingstown, Rhode Island.
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Agru America – Georgetown, S.C.
AGRU America, Inc. manufactures premium geomembrane liners backed by over 30 years of experience, innovation, quality, and service.
Since 1988, Georgetown, South Carolina-based AGRU America, Inc. has been the world’s leading manufacturer of flat die extrusion geomembrane liners, geonets, geocomposites, and geotextiles. AGRU America also supplies geosynthetic clay liners, concrete protective liners, vertical barrier systems, and pipe and fitting systems for the U.S. and international civil/environmental markets.
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