Millard plans to export frozen meat from Charleston

   Millard Refrigerated Services announced plans Wednesday to develop and operate a $42 million refrigerated warehouse in Charleston County, S.C.  
   The company said the cold storage facility, located at the Palmetto Commerce Park in North Charleston, would give it the ability to freeze and store poultry, pork and beef products and export them through the Port of Charleston.
   The new facility will create 87 jobs.
   Construction will begin in the spring of 2013 and operations are expected to begin later that year.
   Millard is one of the largest refrigerated warehouse and distribution companies in the United States, with 36 facilities. Services include high-pressure pasteurization, logistics and import/export support.
   The South Carolina Department of Commerce worked to attract Millard to the state, which is providing a grant of $3.75 million.
   “Distribution and logistics companies are increasingly coming to understand that South Carolina is just right for their operations. Being centrally located between Miami and New York City, having solid infrastructure and one of the busiest ports on the East Coast makes the Palmetto State ideal for reaching customers and markets,” Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt said in the news release.
   Last year, South Carolina’s goods exports jumped more than 21 percent to $24.6 billion.  
   “The port community welcomes Millard to the area, as their presence will mean increased activity through the Port of Charleston’s container facilities,” Jim Newsome, president and chief executive officer of the South Carolina Ports Authority, said. “Exports of refrigerated cargo have continued to rise, and these heavy exports must find their way to ports with deep-water capabilities, like Charleston. – Eric Kulisch