Press Release

U.S. Department of Commerce Invests More than $2 Million to Support American Jobs through Foreign Direct Investment in South Carolina

Contact: Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
Friday, May 8, 2015

WASHINGTON – U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a more than $2 million grant to the Chester Sewer District in Chester County, South Carolina. The funding will support an upgrade to critical infrastructure that will serve a foreign-owned manufacturing plant. According to grantee estimates, the project will create more than 1,300 jobs and generate $560 million in private investment.

“The Obama Administration and the Commerce Department are committed to improving our nation’s infrastructure, which is crucial for both economic growth and job creation,” said Secretary Pritzker. “The EDA investment announced today will support critical infrastructure projects that will support foreign direct investment as well as create jobs in South Carolina.”

EDA’s investment will support sewer infrastructure upgrades that will serve GITI Tires, the world's tenth largest tire manufacturer, which is headquartered in Singapore. The facility will combine manufacturing and distribution activities at this location and will market its product across the U.S. and internationally to markets in Asia and Europe. The company’s decision to locate in South Carolina was driven by a number of factors, including the area’s workforce and training opportunities through the technical college system, proximity to major transportation infrastructure and deep‐water port facilities in Charleston, and market access to the growing Southeast region.

About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation's regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA makes investments in economically distressed communities in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.