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Greenville Business Magazine

The Business Narrative: Investment and Jobs

Sep 15, 2022 03:40PM ● By David Dykes

Europastry Establishing Operations in Laurens County

Europastry, a global leader in baked goods, announced plans to establish operations in Laurens County.

The company’s $23 million investment will create 155 jobs, according to the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

Headquartered in Spain, Europastry specializes in quality bakery products, delivering pastries and baked goods to wholesalers around the globe. The company serves more than 80 countries worldwide.

Located in Hunter Industrial Park in Laurens, Europastry’s facility will produce an assortment of brioche bread products.

Operations are expected to begin by the end of November. Those interested in joining Europastry should go to the company’s careers page.

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

The council also approved a $150,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to Laurens County to assist with the costs of building improvements.


SC Launch Inc. Announces Investment in BILDIT

South Carolina Research Authority’s investment affiliate, SC Launch Inc., has invested in BILDIT.

SC Launch officials said the $200,000 investment will help the startup continue excelling in the e-commerce market where it’s created a mobile app that gives customers a premium shopping experience and retailers the flexibility to grow quickly.

BILDIT became an SCRA member company in 2021 and received a $25,000 Project Development Fund Grant. It became an SC Launch Inc. Portfolio Company this year with this investment.

Whether companies need to rebuild their apps or are starting fresh, BILDIT can be used as a pre-built, out-of-the-box mobile app solution or as a platform to fully customize their app and make it their own.

E-commerce brands get pre-built product detail pages, product list pages, a home screen, a quality content management system, and an efficient native checkout experience that officials say increases the rate from ad to purchase by 25 percent.

Said BILDIT CEO Matt Hudson said, “This investment will help us continue to grow and develop, which in turn will help retailers solve their mobile app needs.”

BILDIT’s customers include Forever 21 and Belk. It also has formed partnerships with internet providers and mobile proximity technologies to enhance the e-commerce experience of their customers.


Regional Management Corp. Expands Operations to Louisiana

Greer, S.C.-based Regional Management Corp. (NYSE: RM), a diversified consumer finance company, said it has expanded its operations to Louisiana, its 17th U.S. state, with the opening of its first branch in Metairie.

The opening further expands Regional Management’s footprint within the southeastern U.S.

Said Robert W. Beck, president and chief executive officer of Regional Management Corp.: “We look forward to expanding into additional markets to enable high-quality consumers throughout Louisiana to leverage our best-in-class lending solutions.

"Further, the addition of Louisiana to our footprint has enabled us to increase our total addressable market by approximately 75 percent since the beginning of the pandemic, and our overall expansion strategy continues to position us well to deliver smart, profitable growth and long-term value to our shareholders.”

Regional Management provides installment loan products primarily to customers with limited access to consumer credit from banks, thrifts, credit card companies, and other lenders.

Regional Management operates under the name “Regional Finance” online and in branch locations in 17 states across the United States.


Gov. McMaster Recognizes Clean Energy Week 2022

In recognition of the sixth annual National Clean Energy Week (NCEW), Gov. Henry McMaster issued a proclamation celebrating Sept. 26-30, 2022, as Clean Energy Week in the state of South Carolina.  

In his proclamation, McMaster recognized the growing importance of clean energy, noting that South Carolina’s four nuclear power plants provided 55 percent of the state’s net electricity generation in 2020 and was the third largest producer of nuclear power in the nation.

Last year, McMaster joined more than half of the nation’s governors in issuing proclamations to recognize NCEW in their respective states. 

“The clean energy sector is a growing part of the economy and has been a key driver of economic growth in the Palmetto State in recent years,” McMaster said in his 2022 proclamation. “Clean energy employed over 41,000 people in South Carolina in 2020, with the number of clean energy jobs growing 6% between 2018 and 2020.” 

 Said Heather Reams, chair of NCEW and president of Citizens for Responsible Energy Solutions (CRES): “Across the country, the cost of living continues to rise. It is critical that we take a hard look at the solutions clean energy technologies provide to address America’s most pressing environmental, economic, and national security needs.

"The sixth annual NCEW and Policy Makers Symposium connects government officials from both sides of the aisle as well as top industry leaders, researchers, investors, and advocates to discuss how we can make the prospect of a clean energy future a reality, not only in South Carolina but throughout the country.”   

NCEW began in 2017 as a bipartisan forum to bring together clean energy leaders and advocates across America.

Through engaging programming such as the Policy Makers Symposium, the weeklong virtual event celebrates the critical role that clean energy plays in reducing greenhouse gas emissions while simultaneously bolstering the nation’s economy and energy independence.   


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