COLUMBIA, S.C. – September 9, 2013 – South Carolina has tied for a second place ranking among the top states for key site selection criteria, according to Area Development magazine’s recent survey of site consultants. South Carolina tied with Georgia for second overall in meeting key location requirements.
“Once again, South Carolina is being recognized as a great place to do business,” said Gov. Nikki Haley. “Our workforce development programs continue to be a huge draw for companies, as is our state’s overall business-friendly environment. Numerous world-class companies like BMW, Boeing, Continental, Bridgestone and Michelin understand that South Carolina knows what companies need in order to do well here.”
Area Development surveyed a select group of site consultants who work with a nationwide client base and are hired by corporations to scout locations that meet a company’s investment requirements. The consultants were asked to name their “top picks” in each of the following categories: cost of doing business, corporate tax environment, incentives programs, cooperative state government, speed of permitting, access to capital and project funding, most favorable regulatory environment, renewed consideration post-recession, availability of skilled labor, competitive labor costs, leading workforce development programs, most diverse labor pool, best right-to-work or non-right-to-work environment, rail and highway accessibility, certified sites or shovel-ready programs, competitive utility rates and distribution/logistics access.
States were ranked in each of the 17 categories above based on the number of times they were named as a “top-5” choice by the responding consultants. South Carolina received more than 200 mentions.
The Palmetto State was the consultants’ top choice in both the certified shovel-ready sites and right-to-work environment. South Carolina was among their top-five picks in cost of doing business (#2), corporate tax environment (#2) and nine other categories. Find a full review of this year’s Top States for Doing Business, along with commentary on the results from several well-respected industry consultants, in the Q3 issue of Area Development magazine and online at http://www.areadevelopment.com/Top-States-for-Doing-Business.