Carolina Handling has broken ground on a new 267,000-square-foot facility in Pickens County, South Carolina that will consolidate operations of its four Upstate South Carolina locations under one roof.

The new regional facility at Speedway Industrial & Technology Park will feature 237,000 square feet of warehouse space to accommodate technician bays for new, rental and renewed equipment, as well as parts, distribution and logistics operations. Another 30,000 square feet will house offices, meeting and training space and a customer experience center.

The $23.2 million facility at 3800 Calhoun Memorial Highway in Easley is scheduled to open in spring 2025.

Founded in Charlotte in 1966, Carolina Handling is the exclusive Raymond Solutions and Support Center for South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Florida's central time zone. The company opened an office and training center on River Road in Piedmont, South Carolina in 1972 that today serves as its rebuild facility.

A second Carolina Handling building opened on River Road in 2013 to house offices, training facilities and a customer experience center. In 2015, the company opened an Equipment Distribution Center on Piedmont Highway in Piedmont, South Carolina as a regional hub to better serve customers across the Southeast. And in 2018, the company added a warehouse on Michelin Court near Donaldson Center.

“Carolina Handling has experienced extraordinary growth in the past few years, and we expect that trend to continue in 2024 and beyond,” said Carolina Handling President & CEO Brent Hillabrand. “The location, size and features of our new Pickens County facility will position us for future growth as we continue our evolution from a forklift-only provider to an integrated material handling solutions company. And it will allow us to realize large economies of scale by bringing our operations across the Upstate region of South Carolina under one roof.”

Carolina Handling continues its transition from a forklift-only provider to an end-to-end intralogistics solutions company offering a broad range of consulting, connected technologies, automation systems and service to support the growing and changing material handling needs in warehouses and distribution centers.

Along with forklifts and a full range of warehouse equipment, Carolina Handling offers design, engineering and implementation services to help customers achieve more space, speed, safety and efficiency with integrated automation technologies, many of which will be showcased in the new facility’s customer experience center.

The first tenant at Speedway Industrial & Technology Park, Carolina Handling has partnered with architect COR3 Design LLC, civil engineering firm Seamon Whiteside and Evans General Contractors on the design and construction of its new regional facility. Speedway Industrial & Technology Park is being developed by Realty Link, LLC.

South Carolina’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development awarded a $250,000 Set-Aside grant to Pickens County to assist with the costs of site preparation and building construction.

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QUOTES

“It is always a major victory when a company expands its footprint in our state. Carolina Handling’s decision to create 100 new jobs in Pickens County is great news for our people and reinforces that South Carolina has the talented workforce businesses need to thrive.”  - South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster

“Carolina Handling’s new operation and $23.2 million investment in Pickens County underscore the company’s commitment to South Carolina. We congratulate Carolina Handling on its ongoing success and look forward to a continued partnership in the years ahead.”  - South Carolina Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III

“We are proud Carolina Handling chose Pickens County as the perfect location for their $23 million investment and eagerly anticipate the positive impact of the 100 new jobs created through this operation. This announcement highlights Pickens County’s potential, the attractiveness of our community and the desirableness of our highly skilled local workforce. We welcome Carolina Handling and remain committed to creating an environment where businesses can succeed, and our residents can thrive.”  - Pickens County, South Carolina Council Chairman Chris Bowers