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BENTONVILLE. Ark. – Walmart is celebrating the grand opening of its Import Distribution Center in South Carolina, a $220 million facility designed to store and sort imported goods that arrive through the Port of Charleston – the country’s eighth-largest port — for delivery to 850 regional Walmart and Sam’s Club locations across the Southeast.
“Our team of more than 980 associates from Dorchester County and the surrounding communities are excited to officially open the doors to our new Import Distribution Center,” said Jeff Holzbauer, the center’s general manager. “Being a member of this community means having the advantage of the region’s existing infrastructure as well as a pool of experienced associates familiar with it. Cutting this ribbon today signifies our commitment to that community.”
Walmart associates and managers joined local residents and elected officials for the April 22 grand opening.
“Walmart has been a longtime partner of South Carolina, and as years have passed, they have continued to double-down on their commitment to our people and reinvest in our state,” said South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster. “Walmart hasn’t only created thousands of jobs in our state – it has become an integral part of the communities in which it operates. Today’s celebration is the result of our state working hard to be the ideal place to do business and a company recognizing the benefit of having our incredibly skilled workforce and premier ports system in its backyard.”
During the grand opening ceremony, Walmart celebrated its commitment to the community by presenting $10,000 to Going Places, a local non-profit organization whose mission is to bring joy to kids-in-need through the gift of bicycles.
Dorchester County was selected in part due to South Carolina’s business-friendly environment, Walmart said in a press release, which also noted that the retailer expects to hire 1,300 full-time workers to staff the center.
“A project of this magnitude requires a great deal of coordination, and we thank all of our allies, including the South Carolina Ports Authority, who made this possible,” said Bill Hearn, chairman of the Dorchester County Council.
