Aerial View of Nucor Steel Berkeley (Nucor Photo)

Nucor Corporation, a leading steel and steel products manufacturer in North America, announced plans to expand operations in Berkeley County.

The company’s $425 million investment will create 50 jobs, according to the South Carolina Department of Commerce.

With a history dating back to 1905, Nucor manufactures a variety of products including carbon and alloy steel, hollow structural tubing, electrical conduit, precision castings and more.

The company’s products serve the agriculture, automotive and energy industries along with several others.

Located at 1455 Old Hagan Ave. in Huger, Nucor’s latest expansion at the Berkeley facility will include the addition of a galvanizing line that will expand the manufacturing of corrosion-resistant products. 

The expansion is expected to be complete in mid-2025. Those interested in joining Nucor 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 $400,000 Set-Aside grant to Berkeley County to assist with costs of site preparation.

 SCBIO introduced refreshed branding across all touchpoints and launched a new website to meet the needs of the organization and its thousands of life sciences constituents across the region.

"Our members, our industry, and our world look and operate differently today than they did when SCBIO was formed more than a decade ago," said James Chappell, CEO of SCBIO, in announcing the new branding.

"As SCBIO and our industry advance, we must share South Carolina's life sciences story more broadly and even more consistently. That led to this new visual identity and communications tools for use internally and externally."

Working with branding partner Stilwell & Company, the brand refresh includes a new logo, fonts, color palette, website, and numerous tools across all communications channels.

The look and feel are rooted in the brand of the past yet with a fresh and contemporary look reflective of today's industry, Chappell added.

The relaunch is part of SCBIO’s strategic emphasis on developing an expanded visibility with key opinion leaders both domestically and globally, Chappell noted.

The statewide life sciences organization, which represents more than 1,000 organizations statewide employing more than 87,000 professionals across the state, intends to present its brand to such diverse audiences as corporate pharma and medical device executives, healthcare and health IT leaders, top officials in government and higher education, and even to venture funds and sources of capital.

The new site is a tool that Chappell envisions will continue to grow, deepen and evolve over time.

Aspects of the site relaunch were driven by analysis of best-of-breed domestic competitors and industry resource sites, along with considering top characteristics demanded by today’s business power users, SCBIO officials said.

The website features a host of additions and improvements, including implementation of a new customer relationship management system to better capture data and store information on the fast-expanding industry and its supporters.

A security-enhanced WordPress architecture, plus expanded sections on SCBIO and its industry leadership and members, and detailed sections on each of its areas of strategic priority are also incorporated in the site.

Membership details, an in-real-time events calendar, industry news and an expanding resources section with free downloadable materials complete the first phase of the new website.

Additional sections will be added over the coming months as the organization positions itself as a central clearing house and connector of all-things-life-sciences in the Palmetto State.

Earlier this year, Gov. Henry McMaster issued a proclamation recognizing South Carolina Life Sciences Week in the Palmetto State in testament to its growth of more than 42 percent since 2017.

The industry has a $25.7 billion annual economic impact in the state, ranking it among South Carolina’s largest economic contributors. And life sciences impact the entire state, with an industry presence in 42 of 46 state counties.

For additional information on SCBIO, go to www.SCBIO.org.

William Blackford, chairman of the Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium Commission, said Roger Newton has been selected as chief executive officer of Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium, effective Oct. 3.

“Roger’s extensive background in the management of public assembly venues, along with his connections in the concert and entertainment industries, make him a great fit for this position,” said Blackford.

“His work as a consultant for the auditorium over the past few months has demonstrated to the commission what we believe the auditorium can become under his leadership.”

Newton has an extensive career in the management of public assembly venues, including his tenure as general manager of Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, N.Y., general manager of the Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Canada, EVP/GM of the FTX Arena in Miami, Fla., general manager of the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota, president/general manager of the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C., and president/general manager of the CCNB Amphitheater in Simpsonville, S.C.

“I am honored to be the new CEO and the successor of an incredible leader, Steve Jones, who served as general manager of the auditorium for 35 years,” said Newton. “The commission board members are engaged, enthusiastic, and excited about the future of the auditorium.

"I share in their vision and look forward to working with each of them, the auditorium staff, and the Spartanburg community to grow the number of events and increase activity at the auditorium.”

Newton will oversee all aspects of the management and operation of the auditorium, including but not limited to managing an annual budget, supervising staff, facilitating capital improvements, and managing improvement projects.

Newton will also be responsible for booking events at the auditorium, marketing, sponsorships, and ticketing, and maintaining relationships with media outlets, community leaders, and government officials.

Established in 1951, the auditorium includes a 3,244-seat theatre with one of the largest stages in the Southeast and an events center with 13,638 SF of exhibit space.

Year-round performances showcase the best in Broadway, comedy acts, family programs, and musical entertainment. 

Firms in the Carolinas reported little improvement in economic activity in September, according to the most recent survey from the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.

The general business conditions index rose and firms were slightly less pessimistic about future business conditions.

The sales index saw a moderate increase, and the index measuring expected sales also improved slightly, moving further into positive territory.

While the business services expenditures and equipment or software expenditures indexes increased, the total capital expenditures index fell slightly in September.

Survey results suggest that the pace of employment increases edged down in September, as the employment index fell slightly.

The wages index, on the other hand, remained high and edged up in September. Most firms also expected wages to continue increasing over the near-term.

More firms reported increased difficulty finding skilled labor in September and have grown more pessimistic that finding workers with the necessary skills will improve over the next six months.

The average year-over-year growth in prices paid decreased slightly, while growth in prices received increased slightly. However, firms continued to expect price growth to moderate somewhat over the next year.