BauschLinnemann, a producer of surfaces and edge bandings for furniture makers, announced Tuesday it is bringing 55 jobs over the next two years to Horry County with its new headquarters being built in Myrtle Beach.
In an announcement at the HGTC Grand Strand Campus Conference Center, officials with BauschLinnemann said they will be moving their North American headquarters from Greensboro, NC to Myrtle Beach.
They hope to open the building in summer 2013 off Harrelson Boulevard and America's Way. Burroughs and Chapin will build the facility, which is set to be 75,000 sq. feet but could expand up to 200,000 if needed.
The international company is based in Germany. The appeal of the Grand Strand beat out other national and international locations.
"To export from China you have 6 to 8 weeks on the water. Sometimes and it has to come through the canal, so by shipping out of Myrtle Beach, we can provide service to them, even on the West Coast with a 5 day turn around," Mike Phillips, BauschLinnemann North America CEO said.
BauschLinnemann North America recently acquired Coastal Paper, a Horry County company and former supplier. BauschLinnemann also acquired the assets of CDM, a Quebec, Canada company, early in 2012.
The Horry County facility will produce the company's range of laminates and edge treatments.
Of the 55 new jobs, 21 of them have already been filed with employees from Myrtle Beach and Conway who had previously worked at Coastal Paper facilities. BauschLinnemann plans to start hiring for the remaining 34 manufacturing jobs at the beginning of next summer.
"Manufacturing tends to be the hardest {companies} to recruit," said Brad Lofton, with the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corporation.
Since January 2011, South Carolina has recruited more than $6.8 billion in capital investment and more than 16,000 jobs in the manufacturing sector.
"It's always exciting to see another international company discover the benefits of doing business in South Carolina. We celebrate BauschLinnemann's decision to invest in Horry County and create 55 jobs. We are working every day to attract investment from companies from around the globe," said Gov. Nikki Haley in a press release last month.
