Columbus County's Industrial Park Named Certified Food Site
There is plenty of land ready for companies to build on in Columbus County, but county leaders believe they have a unique advantage now at the Southeast Regional Industrial Park to help bring in new jobs.
Research was done to make sure the county had a good workforce, water supply, sewer, and a good source of raw materials before the park received the certification. Lanier said this means the county can support a food processing plant.
According to Lanier, county officials are trying to take advantage of the farming community. By being a certified food site, companies will consider Columbus County before looking at other counties.
"We've got a great training program through our Career and College Academy in the food processing and culinary arts curriculum," said Lanier. "We've got great support from Southeastern Community College, less than a mile away from the park. When you add to all of that, that we're a certified food park, it makes our industrial park have just a little more of an edge."
County commissioners spent $25,000 to have the industrial park certified as a food site.
Lanier says, Primus Builders and Garner Economics, who they received the certification from, will help them come up with a virtual plan and recruit businesses to the county.
By Gavin Johnson, WECT News