Au’Some Candies Announces $6 million, 120-job facility
January 05, 2011
(Sumter, S.C.) – Sumter County, the Sumter Development Board and the South Carolina Department of Commerce today announced that Au’some LLC, a Hong Kong-based candy company, will establish its new candy production facility in Sumter County. The Sumter facility will be the company’s first North American manufacturing site.
The $6 million investment is expected to generate 120 new jobs over the next five years. The company has purchased the smaller Bosch building in the Live Oak Industrial Park and will begin renovations immediately, with production slated to begin this fall.
“We are pleased to be moving forward with our new manufacturing facility in Sumter County. This facility will allow us to better serve our customers throughout North America. Sumter County provided us with an existing building to suit our needs and South Carolina provides us with an excellent business environment and a talented workforce. This is a big step for our company and we look forward to bringing this facility online,” said David Tsu, CEO of Au’some LLC.
Greg A. Thompson, Chairman of the Sumter Development Board, said the announcement is the culmination of a lot of hard work.
“We are extremely happy that Au’some LLC has selected Sumter County for their first facility in the United States,” said Sumter Development Board Chairman Greg A. Thompson. “We have worked diligently on this project for many months and the end result will not only be new jobs for the citizens of the area, but also a new employer for Sumter County. We welcome Au’some LLC into the Sumter community and look forward to an excellent relationship in the years to come. This is a great example of the private and public sectors coming together to reach a common goal for the good of the community.”
Sumter Mayor Joseph McElveen Jr. said the international flavor of this project makes it even more appealing.
“It’s always a great feeling to help bring a new company to Sumter, but the fact that Sumter will be home to this company’s very first North American facility makes this one even more special,” McElveen said. “This company could have gone just about anywhere, but it chose Sumter, and I think that’s a testament to our people. Our goal now becomes hosting Au’some LLC so well that when the time to expand comes, they look nowhere else.”
Vivian Fleming-McGhaney, Chairwoman of Sumter County Council, said Council stands ready to serve Au’Some for many years to come.
“On behalf of Sumter County Council, we’re tremendously pleased to welcome Au’some LLC to our community,” McGhaney said. “We are committed to doing all we can to help our industries be successful, and we look forward to a long, mutually beneficial relationship with Au’some LLC.”
Au’some is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Candy Novelty Works Limited, a 50-year-old company and one of the largest “interactive candy” manufacturers in the world. Au’some was established in 1998 and since then has successfully carved a niche in the confectionary industry through its innovative line of “action candies.” Its products are sold all over the United States.
For more information about the company, please visit www.ausome.com.