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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Hickory Springs Bottling, Inc. Expanding Its Calhoun County, South Carolina, Operations

03/25/2015
Silver Springs Bottled Water Company, a bottled water manufacturing firm, is acquiring and expanding Hickory Springs Bottling, Inc.’s existing operations in Calhoun County, South Carolina. The $16.3 million investment is expected to generate 37 new jobs over the next five years.

Established in 1986, Silver Springs Bottled Water Company was purchased by its existing owners, the Richmond family, in 1991. Since that time, the company, headquartered in Marion County, Florida, has become the largest privately-held bottled water firm in the state of Florida. In an effort to continue to expand its footprint beyond the Sunshine State, Silver Springs is acquiring the existing Hickory Springs operations in Calhoun County.

“The Silver Springs Bottled Water group of companies is pleased to announce the acquisition and expansion of Hickory Springs Bottling, Inc. We are excited to build on the foundation that has been established by Rick Stewart and his team at Hickory Springs Bottling. We look forward to Mr. Stewarts continued leadership through this exciting time of expansion. The positive environment established by the state of South Carolina, Calhoun County, and the Central SC Alliance were a key factor in making the timing and location of this expansion right. We are eager to become an active part of the growing, local community,” said Silver Springs Bottled Water CEO Kane Richmond.

The spring, which supplies the Calhoun County operations, was initially discovered in the early 1800s by a British naturalist. It flows to the surface from a 33-million-year-old aquifer. The existing bottling facility is located at 347 Old River Road in Elloree, South Carolina. To expand operations, Silver Springs will be adding new high-speed bottling equipment. Hiring for the new positions is expected to begin in the next several weeks.

“The fact that Silver Springs Bottled Water has decided to expand the Hickory Springs operations in Calhoun County is a real reason to celebrate in South Carolina. Silver Springs’ $16.3 million investment and the 37 new jobs it’s creating truly will make a difference in the lives of South Carolinians, and we couldn’t be more excited to watch this great company continue to grow here for a very long time,” said Governor Nikki Haley.

“In addition to possessing a world-class workforce and pro-business environment, South Carolina is also blessed with a myriad of natural resources. Silver Springs Bottled Water Company’s decision to invest in the expansion of Hickory Springs in Calhoun County is a perfect example of the positive impact these resources can have on our economy,” said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt.

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