Ecomelida to invest $52M in Orangeburg plant

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Ecomelida Inc., a U.S. subsidiary of Zhangzhou Sanlida Environmental Technology Corp., will locate its first North American operations in Orangeburg County. Its $52 million investment in a recycling plant at 2084 Rowesville Road is expected to create 200 jobs.

Ecomelida’s parent company is an importer and recycler of waste paper and plastic. Its recycled plastics are used in foam, cast plastic parts and other applications.

“Today marks another chapter for our company as we invest in this new Orangeburg County plant,” Ecomelida chairwoman Xi Cheng said in a news release. “We are thankful for the assistance we have received from the state and county governments and look forward to years of continued success.”

The facility is expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2018, with hiring set to begin in the third quarter. Interested applicants can email contact@ecomelida.com.

The Coordinating Council for Economic approved job development credits related to the project, and a $750,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund grant was awarded to Orangeburg County to assist with the costs of site preparation and building construction.

“We are grateful to add another Chinese manufacturing facility to our family of international companies,” said Orangeburg County Council chairman Johnnie Wright Sr. “Orangeburg County has one of the highest concentrations of international companies in the state, and we welcome Ecomelida with open arms. Diversity makes us stronger in culture as well as in products made. The green initiatives of this company and the recycling of waste are major wins for our environment and landfills across the county.”