South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster announced Thursday that a manufacturer of an advanced conductor technology will bring more than 400 new jobs to Hardeeville with a $134 million investment.
The company, TS Conductor, will occupy a new 301,275-square-foot facility in Clarius Park Hardeeville and will produce equipment for high-voltage direct current transmission lines, according to the governor’s office. These components are essential for transporting electricity over long distances. This is the first phase of a three-phase expansion, with an additional one million square feet planned for future development.
The company specializes in carbon-core conductors, a technology that allows utilities to double or triple transmission capacity while reducing energy loss and overall project costs. This will be the company’s first state operation and second U.S. manufacturing facility.
This project is the largest job creation initiative in Jasper County’s history, bringing 462 new jobs as well as both direct and indirect economic benefits to the Lowcountry, said Danny Black, president and CEO of Southern Carolina Alliance. It also comes at a time of rapid population growth, ongoing infrastructure challenges and new trade tariffs affecting supply chains.
Production is expected to start in the facility before the end of the year. Job applications can be submitted on the company’s career page.
The announcement comes as President Donald Trump implements new tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico, raising concerns about supply chain disruptions across multiple industries. TS Conductor relies on aluminum imports, including from Canada, for its advanced conductors, founder and CEO Jason Huang said. The tariffs add a new layer of complexity to the business, he added, but emphasized that the modernization of the power grid remains an urgent necessity.
“It is a new curve ball that we have to deal with,” Huang said. “I hope the U.S. and Canada work out the difference, because it will benefit us, because we make conductors here, and it’s serving the entire US grid, and that will be helpful to everyone.”
South Carolina has experienced a rapid population increase in the last few years and the addition of TS Conductor’s facility is expected to boost the local economy and contribute to tax revenues, potentially reducing the burden on residents, but adding complexity to traffic woes and affordable housing demands.
Jasper County Treasurer Michael Skinner highlighted the significance of the investment, calling it a long-overdue economic boost for the area.
“I’m actually looking forward to it as a tax base,” Skinner said. “Bringing this industry in here is going to be a tremendous help to our taxpayers and our residents, not just with jobs, but as a whole.”
South Carolina offers competitive business incentives, including a five-year property tax abatement for manufacturers and exemptions on inventory, machinery and industrial power costs, according to the facility’s website.
While economic development brings new opportunities, it also intensifies traffic congestion and collisions as seen across nearby counties and the state.
McMaster acknowledged these challenges and outlined the state’s efforts to expand and improve roadways, saying “we’ve got more and more people.” He continued, “these roads would have been fairly adequate, if the population is not increasing so fast, but it’s increasing, and we’re trying to keep up with it.”
The facility is located just 10 miles from the Georgia Ports Authority’s Garden City Terminal, the third-largest and fastest-growing container terminal in the U.S. The park is also strategically positioned near Interstate-95 and Interstate-16, providing access to major transportation networks.
This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 4:32 PM.
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Isabella Douglas is the accountability reporter for The Island Packet and The Beaufort Gazette. A graduate of the University of Florida, she has spent time reporting for The Independent Florida Alligator, Fresh Take Florida and New Tampa & Wesley Chapel Neighborhood News. She has a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a concentration in criminology.