Florence County, South Carolina – On Wednesday, Florence County, reached yet another milestone as local authorities, state officials, and business leaders gathered for the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Cheney Brothers, Inc. food distribution facility. The celebration emphasizes the company’s $66 million local investment, which should create hundreds of employments for the surrounding area.
Situated on Harllee Boulevard in the Pee Dee Commerce City East Industrial Park, the vast 386,047-square-foot building marks Cheney Brothers’ first venture into South Carolina. Designed to greatly increase the company’s distribution capacity, the building, which covers about 50 acres close to I-95 and next to Buc-ee’s.
Byron Russell, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Cheney Brothers, revealed an update on job prospects during the ceremony, stating that the project will now need between 600 to 700 people to be completely operational, much over the originally projected 200 jobs. The local workforce will significantly benefit from this growth, which also emphasizes the company’s dedication to the community.
Attending the ceremony, South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster praised the workforce of Florence County for its strength and moral integrity.
“It’s because of the people. It’s because of who we are. The way we do things. South Carolina has a reputation for its people. They’re honest. They’re loyal. They’re hardworking. They’re smart. This is a handshake state. Somebody here gives you their word. They keep it,” said McMaster.
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Modern conveniences including 45 loading docks, a Cheney Express, and the biggest culinary kitchen the company has ever built will abound at the new site. These facilities are not just structural enhancements but are designed to improve service delivery and customer satisfaction throughout the region.
William Schofield, chairman of Florence County Council, also spoke at the event pointing out that the county has had a great year with the announcement of 3,000 new employment from different businesses. When considering the expected positive economic impact of the new plant, Schofield remarked that the leaders and local community are quite appreciative of Cheney Brothers’ confidence and commitment in Florence County.
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Broad-line food distributor Cheney Brothers, Inc. is well-known for carrying over 16,000 unique items across the United States’ Southeast and to more than 100 nations globally. With more than 3,800 workers and yearly sales topping $3.2 billion, the company’s growth into South Carolina is likely to significantly boost its distribution reach and efficiency.
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Bringing this project to life has been considerably assisted by the surrounding communities and the State of South Carolina. Strategic in nature, the new distribution center in Florence highlights Cheney Brothers’ dedication to improving its service offerings and attaining better degrees of customer satisfaction in the area.
