SC third-best state in which to do business, survey says

Area Development published its fifth annual Top States for Doing Business survey of site

Amazon had to fight anti-job liberals, but
has hired more than 3.000 in SC, with more
jobs on the way. 

consultants, ranking the states.

Business Environment, Labor Climate, Infrastructure and Global Access are some of the factors considered. All but two states rated in the Top 10 best, are in the South. 

Link: South Carolina a top state for business

TOP STATES FOR DOING BUSINESS 2014

1.GEORGIA

2.TEXAS

3.SOUTH CAROLINA

4.ALABAMA

5.TENNESSEE

6.LOUISIANA

7.INDIANA

8.NORTH CAROLINA

9.OHIO

10.MISSISSIPPI

No. 3. South Carolina

The Palmetto State long has been held in high regard by the economic development community, but South Carolina picked up two huge new testimonials this year from a couple of the biggest names in global manufacturing. BMW and Boeing each announced crucial new and expanded roles for their South Carolina operations.

The companies could cite South Carolina advantages such as its low overall cost of doing business (site consultants ranked the state No. 1 in this regard). The state was also given especially high marks for its incentive programs, cooperative state government, and certified sites/shovel-readiness in the Area Development survey. Site consultants ranked South Carolina No. 2 for all three of the aforementioned factors.

Probably the most consistent advantage of South Carolina is the quality of its workforce. South Carolina is a right-to-work state with a low unionization rate of 3.3 percent overall, and — at 1.3 percent — the lowest unionization rate in the United States for the private sector.

The state’s ReadySC workforce-training system includes recruiting, screening, training, and other aspects of workforce preparation. ReadySC, for example, committed to help Boeing hire 3,600 people over the next several years. And that was even before Boeing committed to producing the new stretch version of the Dreamliner at its plant in North Charleston, S.C., which will become the first Boeing jetliner model to be built solely in a nonunion factory.

Meanwhile, BMW said it would expand its plant in Spartanburg County with a $1 billion investment that will create 800 new jobs and make the facility the biggest exporter of autos anywhere in the United States.