Zilmet USA, an American subsidiary of an Italian company that manufactures plumbing parts, is opening a manufacturing facility in Georgetown County.
The company announced today that they have broken ground on construction of a 150,000-square-foot facility at the county’s Industrial Park in Andrews. Georgetown County Economic Development has been working closely with the company on plans. It was previously known as “Project Hooper” before the company was ready to go public with its plans. The company’s $32.7 million investment will create approximately 50 new jobs.
“Georgetown County continues to grow its community and we are excited to welcome Zilmet USA to our family,” said Louis Morant, Georgetown County Council Chairman. “We look forward to a long-lasting relationship with Zilmet USA and career opportunities that are sustainable for our residents. For this company to be establishing their first U.S. manufacturing facility here in the county speaks volumes. It continues to show that Georgetown County is the perfect place to work, eat, play and live.”
Since it established in Rhode Island in 2012, Zilmet USA has been receiving all its product from Zilmet’s primary manufacturing plant in Italy. Due to greater than expected growth, both in the USA and worldwide, Zilmet needed to expand its 2 million square feet of manufacturing space
“We needed to increase our production capability, either here in Italy or in the USA,” said Paolo Benetolo, one of the company’s owners, and CEO. “Since the USA is our largest growth market, it only made sense to build there. This will allow us to better serve our US customer base in addition to freeing up existing capacity in Italy for our European and worldwide demand.”
In regards to building in South Carolina, Scot Jacobsen, the North American General Manager said, “We are very pleased to be partnering with South Carolina and Georgetown County. They have been extremely helpful and accommodating every step of the way. Their Ready SC program, which helps recruit and train potential employees, was a decisive factoring in our move here.”
Phase 1 of the project is tentatively scheduled to be completed in late 2024, with production beginning in 2025.
Zilmet, founded by Ugo Benetolo in 1955, is a private, family-owned business headquartered in Padova, Italy. Zilmet is the worldwide leader in the production of expansion vessels and heat exchangers, selling to more than 100 different countries and with manufacturing plants in Italy, France and China, in addition to the new facility in Georgetown County.