Aerofoam USA, a brand of the family owned, international firm Hira Industries, announced plans to establish its United States headquarters and operations in Abbeville County. 

The company’s $11.5 million investment will create 50 new jobs, according to Gov. Henry McMaster’s office.

Aerofoam USA produces high-quality, sustainable thermal insulation and AeroSound acoustic solutions for residential, commercial and industrial buildings.

The company specializes in closed-cell thermal insulation materials for condensation control in air conditioning, refrigeration and chilled water installations, as well as reducing thermal losses in heating and plumbing systems.

With a firm commitment to sustainability, the products are free from dust, fibers and asbestos, and have zero ozone depletion impacts.

Located at 43 Commerce Drive in Abbeville, Aerofoam USA’s new facility is the company’s first operation in North America.

The company will manufacture nytril buthene rubber (NBR) for thermal acoustic products utilized in HVAC-R systems, mechanical applications, transport, packaging and more – along with products used by original equipment manufacturers.  

Operations are expected to be online by May 2023. Those interested in joining Aerofoam USA should visit the company’s contact page.

The state’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits related to the project.

The council also approved a $600,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to Abbeville County to assist with project-related costs.

Construction Partners, Inc. (NASDAQ: ROAD), a vertically integrated civil infrastructure company specializing in the construction and maintenance of roadways across five southeastern states, said it has acquired Southern Asphalt, Inc., headquartered in Conway, S.C.

As a result, the company said it added two hot-mix asphalt plants and more than 200 employees in the Myrtle Beach, S.C. metro area. 

Terms weren’t disclosed.

Fred J. (Jule) Smith, III, the company's president and CEO, said, "We are pleased to extend our footprint into eastern South Carolina with today's transaction.  Horry County and the larger Myrtle Beach metro area are among the fastest-growing markets in the nation, resulting in opportunities to bid on an attractive mix of public and commercial projects.”  

Construction Partners is a vertically integrated civil infrastructure company operating across five southeastern states, with 59 hot-mix asphalt plants, 14 aggregate facilities and one liquid asphalt terminal.

Publicly funded projects make up the majority of its business and include local and state roadways, interstate highways, airport runways and bridges.

The majority of the company's public projects are maintenance-related. Private sector projects include paving and sitework for office and industrial parks, shopping centers, local businesses and residential developments.

The Gibbes Museum of Art announced the 2022 1858 Prize for Contemporary Southern Art.

Each year, Society 1858, the museum’s young professionals auxiliary group, awards a $10,000 cash prize to one artist whose work demonstrates the highest level of artistic achievement in any media, while contributing to a new understanding of art in the South.

Past winners include Stephanie J. Woods (2021), Stephen L. Hayes (2020), Donté K. Hayes (2019), Leo Twiggs (2018), Bo Bartlett (2017), Alicia Henry (2016), Deborah Luster (2015), Sonya Clark (2014), John Westmark (2012), Patrick Dougherty (2011) and Radcliffe Bailey (2010).

Submissions for 2022 will be accepted online at www.1858prize.org from Aug. 1 – Sept. 30, 2022.

Artists from Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia are eligible to apply. 

All submissions are reviewed by a panel of visual arts professionals, Society 1858 representatives and Gibbes Museum of Art staff members. 

The winner will be awarded $10,000 and a feature at the Amy P. Coy Forum on Feb. 10, 2023. Two honorable mentions will be awarded $500 each.

Artists Must Submit:

Completed registration form.

Brief artist statement (150 words or less).

Resume or CV.

Portfolio of work (up to 10 images) including title, date, medium, and dimensions for each work.

$25 non-refundable entry fee.

Submit at www.1858prize.org

For general questions about the 1858 Prize, please contact the Gibbes Museum of Art at [email protected].

For technical support, while submitting your application, please contact SlideRoom at [email protected].

Winner and honorable mentions will be announced in November 2022 on the 1858 Prize website and via press release.