GOOSE CREEK, S.C.—The Charleston International Manufacturing Center at Bushy Park, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Pacolet Milliken Enterprises, is building a new on-site liquid sodium silicate production facility.
Construction on the facility, a $20 million investment, began earlier this year and should be finished by summer, according to a CIMC release. It will be the first liquid sodium facility in South Carolina, and will create 11 jobs.
CIMC already has one customer in current tenant Evonik, a German manufacturing company that is nearing completion of a $120 million plant at CIMC to manufacture precipitated silica.
Liquid sodium silicate is used in the production of goods such as tires, detergent, adhesive for boxes and toothpaste. It is also used to create precipitated silica, among other materials needed for advanced manufacturing, giving CIMC the opportunity to expand its services to tenants like Evonik and other manufacturers around the Southeast, according to the release.
CIMC is currently home to eight other global manufacturers who collectively have invested more than $1.2 billion and created hundreds of jobs, said CIMC. The 1,750-acre site includes 500 acres of developable land, including shovel-ready lots. CIMC recently added both rail service and deep water access to its transportation capabilities. CIMC also offers tenants existing infrastructure including steam, nitrogen, compressed air, processed water and wastewater treatment.
The process that will take place at the new facility involves dissolving sodium silicate with high pressure and removing its impurities through filtration. The new facility will house tanks where the liquid sodium silicate will be stored ready for use.
The investment signifies a continued commitment to conduct long term business in the state of South Carolina and to partner with manufacturers, said Marc Fetten, president and CEO of CIMC.