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Chemicals

Generally speaking, chemical companies convert raw materials into thousands of different products. A few well-known examples include adhesives, cosmetics, detergents, herbicides, household cleaners, and perfumes. In South Carolina, roughly 23,500 people are employed in the chemical industry. The synthetic rubber, paint and coating, and petrochemical subsectors are expected to grow in SC in the next few years.  

Some of the chemical companies in York County include Wikoff Color CorporationNation Ford Chemical Company, and Elkem Silicones. While you may not recognize the names, many of the larger companies in the chemical industry also happen to be some of the largest corporations on the planet.

 
To download an Industry Report for Chemicals in the York County labor shed click here.

 

Industry Snapshot

York County Labor Shed U.S.
Average Wage $85,649 $98,468 $110,788
Employment 2,296 13,509 1,199,927
5 Year Average Annual Growth Rate 15.7% 39.4% 8.0%
Location Quotient 2.79 1.46 1.00

Source: Chmura Economics, JobsEQ; 2Q 2023

Training Programs and Other Resources

Home to two research institutions and 16 technical colleges, the Charlotte region and South Carolina offer a wealth of training programs and industry resources.

York Technical College
York Technical College’s Science Department offers general education coursework to support numerous programs. The department also offers certificate programs with emphases in Biotechnology and Chemical Operations, and Environmental Sciences.  The following are degree and corporate training opportunities in the field of chemical manufacturing:

Degree/Credit Programs:

  • Biotechnical & Chemical Operator certificate
  • Medical Laboratory Technology degree
  • Environmental Science certificate
  • Health Science certificate 

Corporate & Continuing Education

  • MSSC Production Technician
  • MCCS Certified Logistics Associate
  • MCCS Certified Logistics Technician 


Clemson University Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

As one of the state’s premier research universities, Clemson’s Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering offers M.S. and PhD degree programs.  Research programs exist in polymer processing, rheology, fiber and film formation, supercritical fluids, separation processes, energy, kinetics and catalysis, biosensors and biochips, and membrane applications.

USC Chemical Engineering has been named in the Top 50 Best Graduate Schools and a Top 30 Graduate Program by the National Research Council.  Annual enrollments in chemical engineering at USC have doubled since 2007.

Clemson University is 2.5 hours from York County. 

University of South Carolina Department of Chemical EngineeringThe University of South Carolina offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in chemical engineering with research focus on biomedical engineering, electrochemical engineering, materials and separations, catalyst design and evaluation, and computation modeling and molecular engineering.

USC is located in Columbia, SC, about 1 hour 15 minutes from York County. 


Midlands Technical College Chemical Technology Program
Midlands Tech offers a certificate in Chemical Technology to prepare students for jobs as technicians and chemical engineers’ assistants. This is a three semester program: one fall semester, one spring semester, and one summer session. Students receive their chemical technology education in classrooms and state-of-the-art labs on the Northeast Campus.

Midlands Tech is located in Columbia, SC, about 1 hour from York County. 

Who's Here

Company City Employees NAICS Code Title (2012) Website
Diversey Fort Mill 300 All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing www.diversey.com
Elkem Silicones USA York 198 Petrochemical Manufacturing www.elkem.com/
SEM Products Rock Hill 100 Paint and Coating Manufacturing www.semproducts.com
Atotech USA, Inc Rock Hill 93 All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing www.atotech.com
Nation Ford Chemical Fort Mill 80 Petrochemical Manufacturing www.nationfordchem.com
Wikoff Color Corporation Fort Mill 68 Printing Ink Manufacturing www.wikoff.com
Pulcra Chemicals, LLC Rock Hill 67 All Other Miscellaneous Textile Product Mills www.pulcra-chemicals.com
PBI Products, Inc Rock Hill 65 Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing www.pbiproducts.com
Koppers Performance Chemicals, Inc. Rock Hill 50 Wood Preservation www.koppersperformancechemicals.com
Solvay Cytec Carbon Fibers Rock Hill 50 Carbon and Graphite Product Manufacturing www.solvay.com
Inchem Corp. Rock Hill 49 Petrochemical Manufacturing www.inchemcorp.com
Munzing North America, LP Clover 47 All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing munzing.com
Huntsman Corporation Rock Hill 43 Paint and Coating Manufacturing www.huntsman.com
Oerlikon Balzers Coating USA - Automotive Rock Hill 38 Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers www.oerlikon.com
Harrell Industries, Inc. Rock Hill 30 Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing www.harrellindustries.com
Reynolds Industries, Inc. Fort Mill 25 Construction Machinery Manufacturing www.reynoldsmixers.com
Aquasol Corporation Rock Hill 20 All Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing www.aquasolcorp.com
Auto Chlor Systems Inc Rock Hil 20 Soap and Other Detergent Manufacturing autochlor.com
Rudolf Venture Chemical Inc Rock Hill 20 All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing www.rudolf-group.us
Oerlikon Balzers Coating USA - Tools Rock Hill 20 Metal Coating, Engraving (except Jewelry and Silverware), and Allied Services to Manufacturers oerlikon.com/balzers/us
Isochem Colors, Inc. Clover 17 Petrochemical Manufacturing www.isochemcolors.com
Airgas Rock Hill 16 Industrial Gas Manufacturing www.airgas.com
Kuraray America, Inc. Fort Mill 15 Plastics Material and Resin Manufacturing www.kuraray.us.com
Sunbelt Corporation Rock Hill 13 Synthetic Dye and Pigment Manufacturing www.sunbeltcolors.com
Fluid Sciences Inc Rock Hill 9 Printing Ink Manufacturing www.fluidsciencesinc.com
Red Line, Inc. Rock Hill 8 All Other Miscellaneous Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing www.redlinechemical.com
Sentury Reagents, Inc. Rock Hill 6 Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing www.senturyreagents.com
General Chemical, LLC Catawba 3 All Other Basic Organic Chemical Manufacturing www.chemtradelogistics.com/
Crestwood Midstream Partners LP York www.crestwoodlp.com/operations/storage-logistics/storage-assets/default.aspx

Recent Announcements

  • Diversy announced that it is locating its corporate headquarters in York County in October 2017 bringing 400 new jobs and $6.1 million investment dollars. Read More.  

  • Gabriel Performance Products announced plans for a new facility in September 2016 that will lead to 26 new jobs and a $2.9 million capital investment. Read more.
     
  • Rudolf Venture Chemicals announced an expansion in September 2016 that will lead to 9 new jobs and a $3.5 million capital investment.
     
  • Harrell Industries announced an expansion in March 2016 that will lead to 9 new jobs and a $2.5 million capital investment.
      
  • Pulcra Chemicals announced an expansion in March 2014 that will lead to 17 new jobs and a $3.1 million capital investment. Read more.

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