BENNETTSVILLE—Palmetto Brick in Wallace is building a new robotic packaging

system that will make it one of the most technologically advanced brick manufacturers in the country.

Palmetto is one of the largest family-owned brick manufacturers in the southeast and has been in

business for over 105 years. Palmetto Brick has 115 employees company-wide and an

annual capacity of 90 million bricks annually.

Andy Rogers, Palmetto Brick president, spoke at a press conference Wednesday morning, saying that this latest expansion gives the company technology to save 25 jobs and keep the business in Marlboro County.

“It’s pretty neat. We’re going to be one of the highest-tech brick manufacturers in this country now,” he said. “We’ve got two plants that are robotic. There’s no single site in the entire country that is robotic like ours. We’ve made a big investment and we’re extremely happy with the way Marlboro County treats us,” he said.

Rogers said other areas tried to entice the plant to move out of the county, but Marlboro County Economic Development executive director Tonny McNeil made a better offer.

What kept Palmetto Brick here? According to McNeil, to keep the company in Marlboro County, they presented a deal that would lower their assessment ratio, locked in the company’s millage rate for 30 years, and gave them a special source revenue credit for two years.

In a release from the county, Rogers also said, “Having been a past Chairman of the Marlboro County Economic Development Partnership, it really makes me appreciate how Marlboro County is dedicated to not only seeking new industries but is steadfast in their support of our existing industry.”

McNeil said the jobs created by Palmetto Brick staying here will segway to high-paying and high-tech jobs.

“They are putting in automation to be more efficient and more productive and add more capability of producing more bricks,” he said. “When the labor cost is reduced then you sell the product cheaper than someone from another country.”

And using the robots doesn’t mean that there won’t be a need for skilled workers to keep the robotics running. “You have to someone to program the robots, it’s more so of monitoring the process and have operators that can read blueprints, technicians and that higher skill will demand a higher wage,” McNeil said.

McNeil added that these jobs will give folks something to work toward, like getting an extra certificate that would allow them to qualify for the higher-paying jobs that will be offered.

“That’s going to encourage folks to get more so that they can qualify for those higher paying jobs. We work closely with [Northeastern Technical College] they actually have an incubator,” he said. McNeil said there are also incentives for companies to provide cross training for employees can receive a check for 75% of that employee’s salary.

All inquiries regarding jobs can be found on the company’s website or at the Marlboro County Economic Development Office, located at 214 East Market Street, Bennettsville.

County administrator Wilson “Tony” Clyburn, said, “Keeping Palmetto Brick here in Marlboro County it does help when it comes to our residential development initiative. We’re going to be developing a lot of residential, different types of housing, different levels of housing. Having them here to work with those developers it really helps a lot.”

Marlboro County Council chairman Anthony Woods said, “Marlboro County is in the business of creating better opportunities for everyone. Available products, abundant infrastructure and a talented workforce were key components to this announcement. Palmetto Brick has been in Marlboro County for over 105 years and we are going to ensure they’re here for many more years to come.”