Orian Announces Expansion At Anderson County Facility
$13 Million Investment Expected To Create 125 New Jobs
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Anderson County is slated to see an influx of 125 jobs in 2014 as Orian Rugs, a family owned manufacturer of machine woven area rugs, announces a $13 million expansion at its South Carolina facility.
The $13 million expansion adds to the bustling growth Orian has experienced at their Anderson County headquarters over the past 35 years. Since Orian’s opening in 1979, the company has acquired three sister companies, McThree Carpets and Bajong Carpets, both in Belgium, and Sofiteks in Turkey. Additionally, Orian has grown into a 550,000-square-foot, state–of-the-art facility, with 500 employees in Anderson prior to the expansion with operations on a global business level.
The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits for the project.
QUOTES
“Orian is excited to announce this additional investment in our Anderson, SC manufacturing facility. We appreciate the commitment that the local and state governments have made to support manufacturing and encourage us to continue to grow here in South Carolina. Orian is very proud to be a leader in the North American rug business, driven by our dedicated workforce in Anderson, and we look forward to future opportunities here in Anderson County.” – Wim De Pape, president of Orian Rugs
“Orian was built from the ground up in South Carolina and continues to expand within our state. We are excited they are continuing to grow in South Carolina with a $13 million investment, creating 125 new jobs.” -Gov. Nikki Haley
“To see a company start in South Carolina and rise to the global business level is nothing short of amazing. Orian’s continuous choice to build and expand right at home is a strong testament to the business-friendly culture South Carolina demonstrates with each and every company that chooses to do business here.” -Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt
“We are very excited Orian Rugs made the decision to expand in Anderson County. They could have chosen to expand anywhere in the world and chose Anderson. Over the past 35 years, Orian has been a wonderful economic asset to our county.” -Lt. Col. Tom Allen, Retired – Anderson County Council District 4 representative
FIVE FAST FACTS
· $13 million investment and 125 jobs.
· Opened its doors in South Carolina 35 years ago and have since acquired three sister companies in both Belgium and Turkey (i.e., McThree Carpets, Bajong Carpets and Sofiteks).
· Orian has grown into a 550,000 sq. ft. state of the art facility operating on a global business level.
· Orian currently employs more than 500 employees in the Anderson area.
· Began as a family-owned rug company that originated in Anderson, SC.
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Doubling Down on Bad Transportation Policy (Filed 2/05/14)
S.994 would enact two large infrastructure funding changes. First it would change recently enacted law that stipulates $50 million be transferred to infrastructure bank each year to be bonded into $500 million for projects that bank deems worthy. This bill would increase this annual transfer amount to $100 million which could be bonded into a $1 billion of new debt each year. Second, the bill would mandate the full transference of a revenue source, half of which currently dedicated to education to the State Non-Federal Aid Highway Fund. This revenue source used to be dedicated entirely to education, but half of the proceeds were redirected to infrastructure last year and only one year later the legislature is back for the other half of the revenues. This idea as we have said before represents that old saying robbing Peter to pay Paul.
These policies were bad ideas when they were introduced and first passed, and they’re still bad ideas when legislators are trying to double down on them now. Passing this bill would mean more debt, and it would do little to guarantee better roads. Until lawmakers address our state’s prioritizing of construction over maintenance, any other road fix bills will simply be throwing good money after bad.

I’ll be on the Lt. Governor Glenn McConnell’s TV show on Thursday morning to discuss the current proposals to increase the gas tax in South Carolina. As a strong opponent to raising gas taxes, I will make an attempt to convince South Carolinians that your government spends too much money on frivolous items, then comes to you with the obvious need to repair our roads and bridges. Please watch (Here’s a link to the stream).

By the way, I’ve talked more on the bloated spending appetite in Columbia a few times. Check Here.13.01.10, Here.12.12.17, Here.12.11.29, Here.12.09.14, Here.12.09.05, Here.12.07.23, Here.12.06.08, Here.12.05.29, Here.12.05.14, Here.12.05.09, Here.12.03.23, Here.12.01.10, Here.11.12.17, Here.11.11.07, Here.11.09.09, Here.11.08.18, Here.11.08.17, Here.11.08.04, Here.11.08.03, Here.11.07.29, Here.11.07.29, Here.11.07.28, Here.11.07.25, Here.11.07.22, Here.11.07.21, Here.11.07.15, Here.11.07.11, Here.11.07.04, Here.11.06.22, Here.11.06.22, Here.11.06.21, Here.11.06.20, Here.11.06.20, Here.11.06.17, Here.11.06.05, Here.11.05.12, Here.11.05.11, Here.11.05.11, Here.11.05.09, Here.11.05.04, Here.11.05.02, Here.11.04.28, Here.11.04.18, Here.11.03.09, Here.11.02.28, Here.11.02.15, Here.11.02.04, Here.11.02.01, Here.11.01.31, Here.11.01.26, Here.10.01.25, Here.10.01.17, Here.10.01.12, Here.10.11.07, Here.10.12.05, Here.10.12.10, Here.10.11.26, Here.10.11.17, Here.10.11.12, Here.10.05.24, Here.10.03.25, Here.10.03.08, Here.10.03.03, Here.10.01.23, Here.10.01.20, Here.10.01.19, Here.10.01.13, Here.10.01.06, Here.09.10.12, Here.09.09.25, Here.09.09.22, Here.09.07.21, Here.09.05.20, Here.09.05.19, Here.09.05.16, Here.09.05.15, Here.09.05.14, Here.09.05.11, Here.09.04.30, Here.09.04.28, Here.09.04.28, Here.09.04.27, Here.09.04.25, Here.09.04.24, Here.09.04.23, Here.09.04.14, Here.09.04.16, Here.09.04.14, Here.09.04.14, Here.09.04.12, Here.09.03.24, Here.09.03.20, Here.09.03.17, Here.09.03.11, Here.09.02.25, Here.09.01.29, Here.09.01.23, Here.09.01.22, Here.08.08.19, Here.08.08.11, Here.08.07.29, Here.08.06.19, Here.08.06.09, Here.08.06.05, Here.08.05.27, Here.08.05.20, Here.08.04.30, Here.08.04.16, Here.08.04.15, Here.08.04.10, Here.08.04.09, Here.08.04.08, Here.08.04.04, Here.08.03.26, Here.08.03.20, Here.08.03.13, Here.08.02.20, Here.08.02.19, Here.08.02.14, Here.08.01.31, Here.08.01.09, Here.07.11.08, Here.07.10.19, Here.07.08.31, Here.07.06.21, Here.07.06.06, Here.07.05.20, Here.07.04.30, Here.07.04.27, Here.07.04.26, Here.07.04.24, Here.07.04.24, Here.07.04.21, Here.07.04.12, Here.07.03.15, Here.07.01.28, Here.06.12.07, Here.06.06.05, Here.06.05.12, Here.06.05.18, Here.06.04.30, Here.06.02.08, Here.06.02.09, Here.06.21.06, Here.05.12.14, Here.05.06.17, Here.05.04.17