Cherokee County Development Board

03/02/2026

Cherokee County, SC is officially the #1 Micropolitan in South Carolina and #9 in the Nation! 🇺🇸🏆

Out of 542 micropolitan communities across the United States, Cherokee County ranked in the Top 10 nationally based on the number of qualifying industrial projects announced during the 2025 year.

That means more projects chose Cherokee County than any other micropolitan community in South Carolina and we placed #9 in the entire country.

What makes this even more exciting?

Last year we were #2 in South Carolina and #39 in the nation. Jumping from #39 to #9 nationally in just one year is a major accomplishment and shows the momentum we are building.

This ranking reflects real activity:
✔️ Companies choosing Cherokee County
✔️ New industrial projects breaking ground
✔️ Continued confidence in our community

This recognition puts Cherokee County on the national radar with site selectors and corporate decision-makers. It reinforces that our strategy is working and that our partnerships across the county are producing results.

Thank you to our county council, municipalities, utility partners, educators, and community leaders who make this possible every day.

Cherokee County isn’t just competing — we’re leading. 🚀

02/27/2026

🚨 CHEROKEE COUNTY IS ON THE MOVE! 🚨

Big things are happening — and the jobs are HERE.

🔥 First Solar is hiring 600 employees over the next few years and EVERY job starts at $21/hour or more!
Interviews begin in the next few weeks, so don’t wait!

👉 Apply now: https://tinyurl.com/2hsx9pa3

🔨 AreoWerks is hiring RIGHT NOW!
If you can read a blueprint and you're ready to work, there’s an opportunity waiting for you. BTW they will train you!

👉 Apply here: https://jobapscloud.com/SCCAT/

💡 Some of these careers require specialized training but that’s NOT a problem.

🎓 Spartanburg Community College is training our workforce and many guess what? IT'S FREE!!! They are working with these employers and more and can fit you with the right training program.

Cherokee County, SC has even partnered with SCC to remove barriers to education by increase funding for the Rufus Foster Scholarship to help more residents get the skills they need.

👉 Check out what they offer or talk with an Admissions Specialist: https://www.sccsc.edu

This is what growth looks like.
This is what opportunity looks like.

And we’re not done yet — more high-quality, high-paying jobs are on the way.

👉 Get trained.
👉 Get prepared.
👉 Get hired.

Cherokee County’s future is bright — and it starts with YOU. 💪

Explore Spartanburg Community College, where accessible, affordable education meets career success.

02/03/2026

Big news for Cherokee County! 🎉

We’re proud to officially welcome Huwell US Inc. as the company chooses Cherokee County, SC for its first U.S. operation. This is a huge win for Cherokee County, Gaffney and our entire community.

Headquartered in Italy, Huwell brings more than 60 years of experience producing professional hair products and is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of cosmetic lighteners and bleaching powders. Their $11.6 million investment will create 25 new jobs, with positions starting at $23/hour and going up from there. These are strong opportunities for local families.

Huwell will locate in the former Carolina Cotton Works facility at 14 Commerce Drive in City of Gaffney, SC, transforming the 120,000-square-foot building into a modern manufacturing operation. The facility will produce lighteners for a wide range of customers, from major global brands to independent cosmetic companies. Once renovations are complete, operations are expected to be online in June 2026, giving Huwell direct access to the U.S. market right here from Cherokee County.

As Mayor Lyman Dawkins III shared, this investment strengthens our local economy and creates real opportunity for working families. We’re grateful for Huwell’s confidence in our community and look forward to a long, successful partnership.

Welcome to Cherokee County, Huwell! 👏

01/19/2026

🚨 This is a BIG deal for Cherokee County. 🚨

Through months of focused work and negotiation by Cherokee County, SC Council and the Cherokee County Development Board, three of our strongest long-standing partners, AT&T, Duke Energy, and Piedmont Natural Gas, have committed $200,000 each for a combined $600,000 investment in the Spartanburg Community College Spark Center - Cherokee. This level of private sector support does not just happen. It is earned through trust, partnership, and a shared belief in Cherokee County’s future.

Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas presented their support early last year, and on February 5, 2026, AT&T made it official with a check presentation to County Council Chairman Tim Spencer and SCC President Dr. Michael Mikota.

It is important to note that this support did not start or stop here. AT&T, Duke Energy, and Piedmont Natural Gas have been active champions of Cherokee County for years, contributing millions of dollars to advance economic development. Projects including the funding for the CLARI wastewater extension, recovery funds to help local manufacturers recover from Helene, and funds for water, wastewater and electrical studies to help local infrastructure meet the demands for tomorrow. And the list goes on.

This dedication to our county represent a powerful investment in our children, workforce training, and our ability to recruit and retain quality industrial projects.

Thank you to AT&T, Duke Energy, and Piedmont Natural Gas for being true partners in progress. This is what collaboration looks like, and the Spark Center - Cherokee is proof that when public and private partners work together, big things happen.

12/17/2025

Cherokee County’s Economy at Work

Manufacturing and industry are the backbone of Cherokee County’s economy.

🔹 32% of all jobs located in Cherokee County are in manufacturing — making it our largest employment sector.
🔹 23% of Cherokee County residents are employed in manufacturing-related jobs.

These numbers highlight the critical role our existing industries play in providing quality jobs, supporting families, and driving economic growth across the county. Supporting and growing our industrial base isn’t just economic development - it’s community development.

12/16/2025

🚀 PROJECT QUANTUM LEAP ANNOUNCEMENT! 🌟

We’re thrilled to welcome Fenner Precision Polymers — a Michelin Group Company — to Cherokee County!

Fenner is investing $30 million to establish a new operation in the former BIC building located at 1 Commerce Drive in the Meadow Creek Industrial Park. This project brings 51 new jobs starting at $20/hour and up!

Operations are set to begin in 2026, giving new life to an existing industrial asset and strengthening Cherokee County’s advanced manufacturing footprint.

A huge thank you to the Cherokee County, SC Council, Gaffney City Fire Department, Duke Energy, Spartanburg Community College and the BPW for their support and teamwork throughout the last nine months as we worked this project from start to finish. Your partnership made this win possible.

🗣 County Council Chairman Tim Spencer:
“Fenner’s decision to grow in Cherokee County reinforces the confidence companies have in our workforce and business-friendly environment. This investment supports the long-term prosperity we want for our residents.”

Welcome to Cherokee County, Fenner! The momentum continues. 💪✨

12/12/2025

🎉 GREAT NEWS LOADING… 🎉

Cherokee County, get ready — something great is coming! 🚀
We’ve been working behind the scenes with amazing partners like BPW, Gaffney City Fire Department and Duke Energy for months, and on December 16th, we finally get to share it with you.

All we can say for now is this:
✨ It’s exciting.
✨ It’s impactful.
✨ And it’s going to be a win for our community.

Stay tuned… you’re not going to want to miss this one! 👀

12/06/2025

🚨 **EXCITING ANNOUNCEMENT COMING DECEMBER 16TH!** 🚨

What does it take to land a new industry in Cherokee County?
👉10+ months of hard work and negotiations
👉 1,254 emails
👉 18 Zoom meetings
👉 8 in-person meetings
👉 4 site visits
👉 And countless hours spent building agreements and relationships with partners like Duke Energy, BPW, and the Gaffney City Fire Department

Since early February, we’ve been working behind the scenes to bring a solid new Industrial project to our community. On December 16th, that work becomes a reality!

This announcement will mean new high-paying jobs, a stronger tax base, and continued progress for the residents of Cherokee County.

A big thank you to the Cherokee County, SC County Council for their commitment and support throughout this process. Together we move forward!

Stay tuned… good things are on the way!

11/24/2025

🚨 BIG NEWS for Cherokee County! 🚨

We are excited to officially welcome PAX Industries to the Town of Blacksburg, South Carolina and Cherokee County, SC, SC! 🎉

PAX Industries, a long-established logistics and warehousing company specializing in the transloading and handling of plastic resins, is relocating to the Atlas Building in Blacksburg at Exit 104. Their move represents a major investment in our community and strengthens our growing logistics and distribution network.

One of the biggest wins? 🙌
PAX will be rehabbing the on-site rail spur, boosting rail-to-truck operations and revitalizing important industrial infrastructure that will benefit both the company and our county for years to come. 🚂➡️🚛

💼 Jobs Coming Soon!
PAX plans to hire 10–15 new employees as they ramp up operations. Interested applicants can apply through Indeed or send a resume to Claudia ([email protected]). Job postings will also be shared through local workforce partners.

🗣️ From Cherokee County Council Chairman Tim Spencer:
“We are excited to welcome PAX Industries to Cherokee County. Their expertise in logistics and their investment in revitalizing this facility, especially the rail, make them a strong fit for our community. We look forward to the jobs they will create and the important role they will play in strengthening our county’s industrial and distribution network.”

We’re proud to see continued growth and investment in Cherokee County, reinforcing our position as a hub for logistics, distribution, and industry. 🚀

Welcome to the community, PAX Industries! 🇺🇸👏

11/14/2025

🌞 Cherokee County, SC, it’s official — Project Oranges has been revealed! 🌞

We are proud to welcome First Solar, a 100% American-owned industry leader and the only U.S.-headquartered company among the world’s top ten solar producers not operating in China.

This project is an incredible win for Cherokee County — one that will make a long-lasting impact on our workforce, our economy, and our community’s future.

💼 600 new jobs coming to CCC85 Industrial Park
💵 High starting wages of $21.60/hour (with many positions paying even more!)
🏭 Expansion to a 1.3 million sq. ft. facility plus a 560,000 sq. ft. distribution center
🌱 Clean operations — assembling solar panels with no toxic chemical processes
💰 More new tax revenue every year for Cherokee County

This is the kind of project that changes the trajectory of a community. It means high-quality jobs for our residents, competitive wages that raise the standard of living, and millions in recurring revenue to help fund services, schools, and infrastructure for years to come.

The official announcement was made live on Fox Business News’ “Mornings with Maria,” placing Cherokee County on the national stage as a rising economic powerhouse.

We would like to thank the Cherokee County Council, Colliers International | South Carolina, BPW, Cherokee County Permitting, S.C. Department of Commerce and the many others who worked so hard to help ensure this project was a success.

We’re proud of the teamwork, preparation, and dedication that helped bring First Solar here — and even more proud of what this means for the people of Cherokee County.

The future is bright. ⚡🌞

11/12/2025

🌟 **Update: Big News Coming to Cherokee County — This Friday!** 🌟

The major announcement originally planned for Thursday has been moved to Friday, and trust us — it’ll be worth the wait! 🙌

Tune in to Fox Business News – “Mornings with Maria” this Friday to see the official announcement live as Cherokee County takes the national stage! 📺🇺🇸

Then check out The Gaffney Ledger’s Friday edition and the The Cherokee Chronicle's Tuesday edition for the full story and all the exciting details about this incredible new investment coming right here to our community.

Big things are happening in Cherokee County — stay tuned! 💪🌞