W. Lee Flowers and Company, a wholesale grocery company that supplies IGA retail stores and independent supermarkets across South Carolina, North Carolina and Georgia, plans to invest $6.5 million to expand its operations center in Florence County, Scranton, South Carolina.
W. Lee Flowers is expanding with a 75,000-square-foot addition to its warehouse operation located at 127 East W. Lee Flowers Road in Scranton, a city of about 940 residents south of Florence. The first phase of the expansion is expected to be completed in 2013.
“We are pleased to move forward with plans to expand our Florence County operations. This expansion will help us meet increased demand from our customers. South Carolina continues to provide the right fit for our company’s operations. We appreciate the support we’ve received from state and local officials,” said Henry Johnson, president of W. Lee Flowers and Company Inc.
“It’s exciting to see a home-grown company with a long history in South Carolina, like W. Lee Flowers and Company, increase its footprint here. We celebrate the company’s decision to invest $6.5 million and create new jobs in Florence County. By continuing to strengthen our state’s business-friendly climate, we can create an environment for success for all our existing businesses,” said Gov. Nikki Haley.
“South Carolina’s location and solid infrastructure provide companies with the ability to reach markets across the East Coast and throughout the Southeast. W. Lee Flowers and Company has built a reputation on providing goods to customers for nearly a century, and we appreciate the company’s decision to expand and create more jobs in the Palmetto State,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt. The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved a set aside grant for $100,000.
