A rendering of a 206,140-square-foot manufacturing and distribution center at Fox Hill Business Park, located at 189 Milacron Drive in Fountain Inn, South Carolina — Courtesy: Sudler Cos.
By Joshua Burd
Sudler Cos. has delivered more than 200,000 square feet of new industrial space in upstate South Carolina as part of an ongoing expansion into the Southeast.
The Chatham-based firm said the 206,140-square-foot manufacturing and distribution center, located at 189 Milacron Drive in Fountain Inn, is the first piece of its planned 2.5 million-square-foot Fox Hill Business Park. The project along Interstate 385 is also showcasing Sudler’s use of CarbonCure, a concrete technology that helps reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
To that end, the developer is seeking to both meet the demand for logistics space in South Carolina and resonate with tenants seeking environmentally sensitive construction techniques.
“The largest companies in the world have been announcing their climate pledges — their (environmental social and corporate governance) commitments,” said Brian Sudler, a principal with Sudler. “We are proud to be the first developer utilizing CarbonCure concrete in South Carolina. We’re not only dedicated to providing jobs and commercial growth to the state but are also committed to doing it in an environmentally responsible way.”
According to CarbonCure, the company’s process involves injecting a dosage of carbon dioxide into wet concrete mix, causing a reaction that allows the gas to become chemically converted into a mineral that makes the building material stronger. Sudler noted that it used CarbonCure’s ready-mix concrete technology at the South Carolina project, working in conjunction with local producer Thomas Concrete.
“CarbonCure takes carbon dioxide, which is normally considered a harmful greenhouse gas, and we create value from that by using it in the production of concrete,” said Rob Niven, CEO of CarbonCure. “The production of cement accounts for roughly seven percent of CO2 emissions around the world; our technology repurposes the CO2 and permanently traps it inside the concrete.”
The developer was able to avoid 130,000 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions through the process, Niven added. “It’s an example of how mission alignment can allow all groups to have much more of an impact on a project this size.”
Along with Thomas Concrete, the project team included McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture, civil engineering firm SeamonWhiteside and general contractor Pattillo Construction.
“We began working with CarbonCure in 2015. Since then we’ve installed its technology in 26 plants in the Southeast — locking away more than 34,000 tonnes of carbon gasses,” said Alan Wessel, CEO of Thomas Concrete. “With Sudler’s new project in Fox Hill, it means more developers will not only realize that it’s a high-quality product, but it also reduces their carbon footprint and makes companies more socially responsible when it comes to the environment.”
Leaders from the Greenville Area Development Corporation also touted Sudler’s use of green building techniques.
“GADC works with an average of 100 companies per year who look to locate or expand in Greenville, and the issue of sustainability is becoming increasingly more important to these companies as a factor in choosing a site or new facility,” said Mark Farris, the organization’s CEO and president. “An environmentally sensitive product like CarbonCure can add to the marketability of a structure for companies who value sustainable buildings.”
NAI Earle Furman represents Sudler at the Fox Hill complex.
“Sudler’s 2.5 million-square-foot commitment to Upstate South Carolina means jobs and commercial growth throughout the region,” said Grice Hunt, a shareholder with NAI Earle Furman. “Combine that with Sudler’s dedication to environmental sustainability, it’s a win for South Carolina, the world’s environment, and any company that is looking to expand into the growing region.”
