Press Release

U.S. Commerce Department Invests $1.3 Million to Help Attract FDI and Create Jobs in South Carolina

Contact: EDA Public Affairs Department, (202) 482-4085
January 3, 2017

WASHINGTON — U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Jay Williams today announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $1.3 million grant to Laurens County Water and Sewer Commission of Laurens, S.C., to help build critical water and sewer infrastructure for an industrial park to support foreign direct investment. According to the grantee, the investment is expected to create 80 new jobs and generate $17.6 million in private investment.

“The Commerce Department is committed to improving our nation’s infrastructure to attract private investment, which is crucial for job growth,” said Assistant Secretary Williams. “The grant announced today will support the development of an industrial park that will attract foreign direct investment to create jobs in Laurens County.”

As a member of South Carolina’s Upstate Alliance, Laurens County has a global marketing presence that will help it continue to attract direct foreign investment. The primary beneficiary of this project is a Turkish non-wovens manufacturing company. This investment will support economic diversification and resiliency in a region subject to flooding. It will also support the future expansion of other foreign companies in the United States.

About the 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.