AGP Executive Report

Manufacturing Expansion: Trison Wells is investing $3.37M to expand its Walterboro cleaning-products operation, adding a liquid-fill production line and 30 new jobs in Colleton County. Food & Agriculture Safety: A jalapeno recall has expanded after salmonella concerns tied to NatureBest and H-E-B labeled products distributed across multiple states, including South Carolina. Public Health Policy: South Carolina DSS will launch the Healthy Food SC SNAP pilot, starting Aug. 31, to bar SNAP purchases of candy, energy drinks, soft drinks, and sweetened beverages. Industrial & Supply Chain Recognition: Armada named Loraine Yalch a 2026 Women in Supply Chain Forum award recipient, while Synergy Logistics and Miebach Consulting also announced Women in Supply Chain honors. Logistics & Tech Distribution: Arrow Electronics expanded IBM distribution coverage to seven more countries. Energy & Infrastructure: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers finished a $72M Grand Strand renourishment project, placing 1.55M cubic yards of sand to protect coastal tourism and infrastructure. Local Business Growth: Huey Magoo’s awarded development rights for 60 new restaurants, including six in South Carolina (Columbia, Fort Mill, Rock Hill). Legal/Regulatory Watch: Richland County’s Scout Motors plant scrutiny continues after pollutant fines and community-benefit disputes.

Manufacturing Expansion: Trison Wells plans a $3.37 million expansion in Colleton County, adding a liquid-fill production line and 30 jobs, as the contract manufacturer grows its private-label cleaning business. More Jobs, More Plants: Prysmian is also pushing ahead with an $80 million Lexington County expansion tied to 135 jobs, underscoring continued Upstate and Midlands industrial momentum. Food Safety Oversight: FDA inspections in South Carolina show routine compliance checks—US Foods in Lexington County received a Voluntary Action Indicated result, while Charleston’s Tides Commodity Trading Group and Horry’s The Blood Connection both logged No Action Indicated. Energy Watch: GasBuddy reports show scattered low-price pockets for drivers, including premium at $4.89 in Williamsburg County and diesel at $4.57 in Spartanburg County for the week ending Aug. 8. Local Industry & Community: Carowinds topped off the 100-foot Rip Roarin’ Falls tower, moving into flume installation for a major water-ride comeback on the SC-NC line. Agriculture Legal Clarity: A Supreme Court ruling on pesticide labeling preemption is being hailed as a win for farmers by limiting state-level claims and aiming for more consistent rules.

Democratic Presidential Calendar: The DNC approved a 2028 primary schedule that makes South Carolina the leadoff state on Jan. 22, 2028, followed by Nevada Feb. 1, with New Hampshire, New Mexico, Michigan and Virginia rounding out February—aimed at testing candidates with Black, Latino and union voters early. Lowcountry Transit Funding: A $374 million Federal Transit Administration grant for Lowcountry Rapid Transit is in limbo, with Senate Democrats warning of delays in the Capital Investment Grants pipeline that could stall the Ladson-to-Charleston bus rapid transit project. Nuclear Weapons Oversight: Environmental groups and nuclear safety watchdogs are pushing back on plans for new plutonium pit production, citing newly released sections of a JASON study that still recommends continuing pit production despite aging concerns. Manufacturing Expansion: Trison Wells plans a $3.37 million expansion in Walterboro, adding a liquid-fill production line and creating 30 jobs in Colleton County. Food & Consumer Safety: Henkel recalled Schwarzkopf Professional Osis Grip hair mousse in 12 states, including South Carolina, due to a packaging defect that could cause cans to leak under pressure. Local Public Health: In Pickens County, FDA inspection data shows Cerelia - US Waffle Company, Inc. received a July 9, 2026 inspection with “No Action Indicated.” Energy & Weather Watch: Hurricane Lala skirted Hawaii’s Big Island as a Category 1 storm, while South Carolina drivers saw volatile fuel pricing in GasBuddy reports, including a lowest E15 price of $3.27 in Anderson County for the week ending Aug. 8.

Democratic Primary Calendar: The DNC approved a 2028 schedule that puts South Carolina first on Jan. 22, 2028, followed by Nevada Feb. 1—an early test aimed at candidates proving they can win with Black and Latino voters and union members. Consumer Safety Recall: Henkel is recalling Schwarzkopf Professional Osis Grip hair mousse in 12 states, including South Carolina, after regulators warned a packaging defect could cause the can to leak and explode. Hospitality Insurance: The South Carolina Bar and Tavern Association teamed with Ragnar Hospitality Insurance to expand liquor liability coverage for bars, taverns, and restaurants as premiums and options tighten. Manufacturing Expansion: Prysmian will invest $80 million in Lexington County to expand fiber optic cable capacity, targeting about 135 new jobs. Packaging Jobs: UFP Packaging plans a $5.31 million Gaffney-area facility in Cherokee County, expected to create 136 jobs. Local Business & Community: Columbia is launching Cola Cafe Fest 2026, a Sept. 27 specialty coffee/tea/bakery entrepreneurship festival at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center. Energy Costs: Dominion Energy shared heat-prep tips for lowering summer bills, including thermostat settings, sealing leaks, and checking air filters. Scam Watch: BBB Scam Tracker data shows Conway tied for top-10 in South Carolina scam reports in July, with nine reports.

Manufacturing Expansion: UFP Packaging plans a $5.31M investment in Gaffney, adding 136 jobs, while Prysmian is set to expand in Lexington County with an $80M project and about 135 new jobs—both aimed at boosting capacity for industrial and digital infrastructure supply chains. Hospitality & Risk Management: The South Carolina Bar and Tavern Association teamed with Ragnar Hospitality Insurance to expand access to liquor liability coverage for bars and restaurants as premiums squeeze operators. Energy Costs: Dominion Energy is urging South Carolinians to set thermostats at 78°F or higher during peak heat, use fans, and tighten home sealing to reduce cooling bills. Home & Construction Safety: A contractor-hiring guide from SC consumer advocates highlights red flags like rushed decisions and cash-only demands. Local Business Development: Charleston’s long-vacant Wendy’s site is one step closer to becoming an 11-story Tempo by Hilton hotel after board review. Public Safety & Fraud: Conway ranked in the top 10 statewide for July BBB Scam Tracker reports, with nine reports and $3,732 in losses. Food Assistance Policy: New SNAP limits tied to “Healthy Food SC” take effect Aug. 31, restricting items deemed to have little nutritional value. Workforce & Education: SC State is building nuclear and marine science pipelines with hands-on programs and a new Bahamian student partnership.

Democratic Primary Calendar: The DNC is set to approve a 2028 presidential primary schedule that puts South Carolina first (Jan. 22) and aims to prioritize Black and Latino voters plus organized labor. Hospitality & Tourism: Experience Columbia SC named Columbia native Rick Lackland as its new vice president of Convention & Visitors Bureau, tasked with boosting meetings and conventions. Nuclear Policy & Jobs: A nuclear safety watchdog says it obtained formerly hidden details tied to plutonium pit production plans at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina, while federal officials dispute the takeaway. Public Health: A mouse trial led by MUSC researchers reports immune-system reprogramming that reversed newly diagnosed Type 1 diabetes, pointing to a new approach beyond insulin. Food Assistance: New SNAP restrictions tied to the Healthy Food SC initiative take effect Aug. 31, limiting purchases of items deemed to have little nutritional value. Local Economy & Manufacturing: Trison Wells will invest $3.37M in its Walterboro facility to add a liquid-fill production line and create 30 jobs. Community Growth: Middle Tyger Community Center opened a $19M childcare campus in Duncan, expanding capacity to serve 265 children. Legal Watch: A South Carolina judge advanced rules for Alex Murdaugh’s retrial, including what evidence and testimony may be allowed.

Manufacturing Expansion: Trison Wells will invest $3.37M in a Walterboro-area plant expansion, adding 30 jobs and a new liquid-fill production line for private-label cleaning products. Industrial Packaging: UFP Packaging plans a $5.31M Gaffney project expected to create 136 jobs, boosting wood pallets, crates, corrugated boxes and horticulture racks production for Q2 2027. EV/Auto Industry Watch: Daimler Truck North America approved plans for a new U.S. commercial vehicle plant, with construction starting by year-end 2026 and operations targeted for 2029. Energy Prices: The national regular gas average climbed back to $4.07 after a week of declines, with crude oil holding around the $80 range. Local Fuel Snapshot: Lexington County’s lowest premium price hit $3.86 per gallon (week ending Aug. 8), per GasBuddy. Food Safety: FDA upgraded a Midwest Poultry Services egg recall to Class I, warning of serious health risks tied to Salmonella Enteritidis; separate jalapeño recalls expanded into grocery aisles after Whole Foods pulled affected prepared foods. Sports & Venue Ops: Williams-Brice Stadium will roll out new parking, traffic and entry rules for the 2026 season opener.

Manufacturing Expansion: Trison Wells will invest $3.37M in Colleton County to add a liquid-fill production line at its Walterboro site, creating 30 new jobs. Fiber & Energy Jobs: Prysmian announced an $80M Lexington County expansion to boost fiber and optical cable manufacturing, targeting about 135 new jobs by May 2028. Data Center Moratorium Fight: Spartanburg County Council weighed a possible one-year data center moratorium and debated whether to include NorthMark/Valara’s next phase, including a planned ~450MW gas power plant. Defense/Healthcare Policy: Rep. Sheri Biggs highlighted Senate-runoff priorities tied to domestic manufacturing and military supply needs, including a “Made in America Defense Act.” Maritime Industry Funding: MARAD awarded $35.18M to 45 small shipyards across 24 states and the U.S. Virgin Islands for equipment, upgrades, and workforce training. Food Safety Recall: Lidl recalled a Vitasia Asian Style Wok Spice Mix lot after Salmonella was found in routine testing; no illnesses reported. Local Infrastructure: Richland County broke ground on 5.14 miles of new sidewalks and safety upgrades under its Transportation Penny Tax program. Fuel Watch: GasBuddy reported Anderson County’s lowest regular midgrade and regular prices in the week ending Aug. 8, reflecting easing statewide averages.

Housing & Community Development: Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina launched a $100M Tri-County Housing Futures Fund for Dorchester, Berkeley and Charleston, aiming to add and preserve homes and prevent a projected 34,000-unit shortage by 2040. Energy & Grid Reliability: Integrated Power Services rolled out IPS ReCert, a UL 891-certified switchboard recertification program meant to cut lead times for critical power equipment. Manufacturing & Defense Tech: 3D Systems won a $9M U.S. Air Force award to keep developing large-format metal 3D printing in Rock Hill, supporting aerospace component production. Food Safety: A major salmonella-linked jalapeño recall expanded to more stores, including Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Target, after hundreds reported illnesses. Local Infrastructure: SCDOT wrapped up 700+ Lowcountry crosswalk upgrades across six counties, improving accessibility and pedestrian signals. Business & Logistics: EASE Logistics honored Abbi Failla with a Women in Supply Chain Forum award for workforce innovation. Energy Prices: GasBuddy reported Berkeley County’s lowest premium price at $4.02 for the week ending Aug. 8, while the national average climbed back to $4.07.

Solar & Legal Watch: South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson retained an outside consultant to review Silfab Solar zoning issues in Fort Mill, after a judge upheld a York County ruling that the plant can’t operate in a light-industrial district; Silfab paused production Aug. 5–11 citing “temporary constraints,” not zoning. Data Center Reality Check: Spartanburg County met with state leaders amid community concerns about data centers, including Valara Holdings Center, with air-quality officials outlining permit needs like worst-case emissions modeling. Energy & Rates: North Carolina AG Jeff Jackson rejected a Duke Energy Progress settlement that would raise residential bills about 6.8%, saying it’s still too high and pushing for clearer rules for data centers and other large energy users. STEM Workforce Push: SC State dedicated the James E. Clyburn Engineering and Computer Science Complex, highlighting its nuclear engineering program, and also landed a $10M NSF initiative (SC-CAPS) to expand STEM research and pathways. Manufacturing Jobs: Prysmian will invest $80M in Lexington to expand fiber optic cable output, targeting 130+ jobs by 2030. Food Safety Recalls: Lidl US recalled Vitasia Asian Style Wok Spice Mix over possible Salmonella contamination, while Frankie’s Organic Plant-Based Vegan Cheddar Puffs were recalled in South Carolina and other states due to undeclared milk. Local Governance: Georgetown County voters will decide a Nov. 3 referendum on a 1% local option sales tax, with most revenue earmarked for property tax rollbacks. Consumer Fraud Snapshot: BBB Scam Tracker data shows South Carolina cities like Columbia, Charleston, and Greenville leading scam reports in July, with phishing the most common type.

Manufacturing & Jobs: Prysmian says it will invest $1B+ across North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee to expand fiber and optical cable capacity, creating up to 600 U.S. manufacturing jobs, including an $80M expansion in Lexington, SC. Recycling & Waste Services: Clean Harbors plans to buy EnviroServe from One Rock Capital Partners for $470M, adding a 40-facility network and boosting recycling/disposal capacity, with EnviroServe already operating in Columbia, SC. Energy & Infrastructure: Bloomberg NEF reports Texas’ data-center grid interconnection pause could put about 20% of the U.S. data center pipeline at risk of delay, with potential impacts worth billions. Consumer Protection: South Carolina’s Department of Consumer Affairs says residents reported $2.25M in scam losses from January–June, with purchase scams leading and phone scams most common. Local Business: Big Air USA is opening a new 40,000+ sq.-ft indoor adventure park in Aiken, adding major family entertainment capacity to the region. Tech/Robotics: The Golden Dragons robotics team from the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics won an international FIRST Tech Challenge championship in Canada.

South Carolina Senate Runoff: AP projects Darline Graham and Rep. Ralph Norman will advance to an Aug. 25 runoff in the special GOP primary to replace the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, with the state requiring 50%+1 to avoid a second round. Maritime & Logistics: A federal court sentenced MSC Shipmanagement and the ship’s chief engineer over the 2024 “runaway ship” incident that forced evacuation of the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge area, with a $6 million fine and probation for the company. Medical Devices & PFAS: Orangeburg-based Zeus says its PFX Flex catheter liners earned Intertek PFAS-free certification, positioning the company for cleaner-materials scrutiny in healthcare supply chains. Food Safety: Taylor Farms expanded jalapeño-related salmonella recalls tied to a multi-state outbreak, affecting major retailers including Trader Joe’s, Walmart and Target. Energy & Tech: Optimal Transit unveiled a second Kraaken™ configuration aimed at shifting more vessel power to continuous baseload electricity and fresh water for shore. Public Safety Tech Debate: Myrtle Beach-area authorities say license plates are captured by camera networks, while watchdog groups warn it amounts to broad tracking. State Budget: SC lawmakers passed the 2026-27 budget after weeks of delay, avoiding longer reliance on stopgap funding while leaving earmarks to be revisited later.

Food Safety: The FDA says Coast Citrus Distributors’ recall of potentially contaminated jalapeños has triggered downstream pulls, with Taylor Fresh Foods recalling jalapeño-containing products sold in 26 states, including South Carolina. The multistate Salmonella outbreak tied to fresh jalapeños imported from Sinaloa, Mexico has sickened 345 people across 27 states, with 36 hospitalizations reported. Retail & Supply Chain: Taylor Fresh Foods products were distributed through major chains such as Kroger, Walmart, Target, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, with “best if used by” dates through Aug. 16. Politics (SC): South Carolina voters head to the polls Tuesday in a special GOP U.S. Senate primary to replace the late Lindsey Graham; a final Trafalgar poll shows Darline Graham leading Ralph Norman, with Russell Fry and Mark Sanford close behind. Public Sector Tech: Rekor Systems won a seven-year, $22M+ SCDOT contract to modernize traffic monitoring and weigh-in-motion sites statewide. Business & Growth: Corsica Technologies, based in Greenville, landed on the Inc. 5000 list for fast growth and hiring. Manufacturing/Industry: Industrial SalesLeads reports four straight months of steady industrial manufacturing capital project spending, with 165 new projects logged in July.

South Carolina Senate race: With Lindsey Graham’s seat now open, 10 GOP candidates are battling in Tuesday’s special primary, and early voting already topped 61,000 ballots statewide; Lancaster County voters also got new polling locations as schools resumed. Cybersecurity for local government: Surfside Beach is tightening banking rules after a $545,000 cyber scam, adding dual-control verification and stronger identity checks for outbound transactions. Public health & vaccines: A Trump executive order would push a split MMR approach and reduce the universal childhood vaccine list, but experts warn the practical schedule for families likely won’t change soon. Food safety: Salmonella outbreaks tied to eggs and jalapeños are expanding, with recalls hitting major retailers and sickening hundreds across dozens of states. Energy & infrastructure: SCDNR opened a public comment period on a revised Atlantic red snapper exempted fishing permit, while SCDOT’s 700 Crosswalk Project continues rolling out pedestrian and bicycle safety upgrades across the Lowcountry. Defense & logistics: Joint Base Charleston was officially renamed Joint Base Lindsey Graham. Local business: Corner Pantry opened a larger Camden store that advances its Corner Pantry Kitchen foodservice program, including a Botrista beverage machine.

Food Safety & Recall Watch: Taylor Farms is recalling jalapeño-containing prepared foods tied to a multi-state Salmonella outbreak, with products sold at Walmart, Kroger, Target, Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods and more across 26 states including South Carolina; the FDA also issued a public health alert for related meat and poultry items. Counterfeit Crackdown: South Carolina officials seized more than $214,000 in fake NeeDoh toys and luxury-branded knockoffs from Haywood Mall in Greenville after a joint operation with local, state and federal partners. Manufacturing & Defense Tech: 3D Systems won an additional $9 million Air Force award to extend its large-format metal 3D printing program at Rock Hill and San Diego. Solar Industry: The SC Attorney General’s office says zoning for Silfab Solar in York County remains legally uncertain after two court orders, even as the company backs domestic polysilicon tariff policy. Local Infrastructure: SCDOT is pushing to finish a US-321 pavement improvement project in Bamberg County by early October, with truck traffic a key factor. Politics (SC Business Impact): South Carolina Republicans head to a special GOP Senate primary Tuesday to replace Lindsey Graham, with 10 candidates on the ballot and rules limiting eligibility to certain voters.

Food Safety: Target, Walmart and Whole Foods are among major retailers issuing Salmonella recalls tied to jalapeños linked to hundreds of illnesses across 27 states, following a Taylor Fresh Foods recall; Supply Chain & Retail: A separate FDA update on Taylor Farms’ lettuce recall details 236,192 cases of iceberg/romaine products marked for potential Cyclospora contamination, with Walmart’s Marketside and major foodservice brands named; Energy & Logistics: SCDOT has completed a 4.1-mile widening of U.S. 17 in Jasper County, expanding the corridor between the Ports of Charleston and Savannah with added bike paths, a new signal and improved evacuation routes; Industrial Power: Century Aluminum’s Jamalco alumina refinery in Clarendon brought a new turbine online to generate all its own electricity, aiming to cut costs by about $28M a year; Consumer Fraud: BBB Scam Tracker reports show Belton tied for 65th in SC for scam reports in June, including a fake invoice/supplier bill scheme; Policy Watch: The Senate advanced a Russia sanctions bill named for late Sen. Lindsey Graham that could raise tariffs on India up to 100% under certain conditions.