WINNSBORO – China-based Healthcare Co., Ltd., announced Monday that it plans to establish new operation, Healthcare US Co., Ltd., in Fairfield County. The company’s $45 million investment is projected to create 250 new jobs in the county.
Healthcare US Co., Ltd. is expected to launch its new, 650,000-square-foot, Fairfield County facility in the first quarter of 2019. Located at 1 Guardian Way in Winnsboro, where Mack Truck was previously housed, the operation will specialize in the production of memory-foam mattresses for a variety of customers. Hiring is also slated to begin early next year, and interested applicants should contact healthcare.us@hkfoam.com for more information.
At Monday night’s council meeting, council members gave second reading to an ordinance authorizing the execution of a fee in lieu of taxes and incentive agreement with the company. Third and final reading will likely occur in January, 2019.
Besides mattresses, Healthcare Co. Ltd. also produces pillows and sofas and is the largest memory foam manufacturer in China. It has doubled its production capacity every year since it was established in 2003.
Company global export volumes exceeded $250 million in 2015, the company’s website reported.
“Fairfield County is beyond excited and thankful that Healthcare USA Co., Ltd. has chosen to locate its first U.S. factory in Winnsboro,” said Fairfield County Council Chairman Billy Smith. “The representatives of this company with whom we’ve worked throughout this process have been a pleasure to do business with, and we look forward to their future operation and success within the county. We welcome them with open and supporting arms and are hopeful that others will see this and know that Fairfield County is open for business and focused on the kind of growth that will be beneficial both for our citizens and the businesses that choose to locate and invest with us.”
Smith said one feature of Fairfield County that appealed to Healthcare Co. Ltd. is its proximity to I-77, and that it is strategically located between Columbia and Charlotte.
Smith also said the region has a skilled workforce, a trait he attributed to the state’s technical college system.
“It’s a big plus, a big positive for Fairfield County,” Smith said. “It’s one of the globally leading manufacturers in China, and they are expanding. We look forward to welcoming them here.”
“We’re happy to be establishing this new facility in Fairfield County, and we are very appreciative of the ongoing support from both the local and state governments,” Healthcare Co., Ltd. President James Ni said. “This is a milestone for our company, and we are excited to support the community we will soon be calling home.”
Founded in Jiangsu, China in 2003, Healthcare Co., Ltd. is the first publicly-traded, memory-foam mattress manufacturer in China. Becoming a global industry leader, the company has established overseas production operations in both Serbia and Spain, with approximately 3,600 workers globally.
The S.C. Coordinating Council for Economic Development has awarded a $300,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to Fairfield County to assist with the costs of building renovations.
“South Carolina’s ongoing economic success can be attributed, in part, to our manufacturing prowess and ability to recruit foreign direct investment,” Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt said. “This $45 million investment in Fairfield County only reinforces that notion. We look forward to this new partnership.”
FIVE FAST FACTS
Healthcare US Co., Ltd. is launching new Fairfield County operations.
$45 million investment to create 250 new jobs.
Healthcare US Co., Ltd. is a China-based manufacturer of memory-foam mattresses for a variety of customers.
Located at 1 Guardian Way in Winnsboro, the company is expected to launch its new, 650,000-square-foot facility in the first quarter of 2019.
Hiring is expected to begin simultaneously, and interested applicants should contact healthcare.us@hkfoam.com for more information.