Spectrum Quartz to Open U.S. Plant
COLUMBIA, S.C. -Spectrum Quartz will begin producing quartz surfaces in a new plant in the Palmetto State by the end of the year.
Spectrum, part of Cranbury, N.J.-based Hirsch Glass Corp, will move into a 360,000 ft² facility formerly operated as a packaging plant in Latta, S.C.
Spectrum made the announcement last Thursday in a joint statement with South Carolina’s Commerce Department and the office of Gov. Henry Mc. Master. The statement noted that Spectrum is bringing approximately $22.5 million in capital investment and will create more than 150 new jobs.
The location will be the third U.S. quartz-surfaces plant to open in the past two years, and the first since drastic U.S. unfair-trade tariffs effectively stopped the flow of quartz slabs from China late last year. Hiring will begin in this year’s third quarter, with the plant expected to be online by year’s end.
Established in 2005, Hirsch Glass designs and manufactures high-quality glass products, including tiles, mosaics and panels. In 2014, Hirsch Glass launched the Spectrum Quartz product line; in addition to its New Jersey headquarters, Spectrum operates seven showrooms/distribution locations nationwide.
Spectrum will move into a 42-acre industrial facility vacated by the corrugated-packaging manufacturer WestRock in late 2016. The main structure, built in 1975 was expanded in 1993 and 1998. The plant features a CSX railroad spur running directly into the building; it’s also six miles from Interstate 95 and less than four miles from the new Inland Port Dillon for intermodal cargo exchange with the Port of Charleston.
The property qualifies as a South Carolina Opportunity Zone. The state’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job-development credits related to this project, and Dillon County received a $750,000 Rural Infrastructure Grant to assist with costs associated with the project.
“As South Carolina’s and Dillon County’s new corporate citizen, we are excited about bringing a new manufacturing facility here,” said Hirsch Glass President Alex Xie. “The decision to build the facility in Dillon County was motivated by the desire to bring our manufacturing facility to the U.S. and was also helped by the strong support of the local and state government.
“We believe this investment will be beneficial for both Spectrum Quartz and the people of Dillon County, and we are looking forward to being a part the community for a long time.”
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