Summerville, South Carolina
March 17, 2011 – IMO International was among 30 recipients to win the Trade &
Industry Development magazine’s annual Corporate Investment and Community Impact (CiCi) Awards, and marks the first project in Dorchester County to receive such recognition.
Acceptance in this
unprecedented awards
program is highly competitive, and awarded to industries with a
significant focus in either corporate investment or community impact.
Ranking in the top 15 for community
impact, the IMO Group was selected for their first US plant in Dorchester County, bringing $47 million in
investment, along with the creation of 190 new jobs.
"We are pleased to acknowledge the efforts by both local and state leaders in bringing IMO International, a
manufacturer of slew drives, to Dorchester County," said Gavin T. Petty, managing editor of Trade & Industry Development. "This
project is noteworthy not only because of the 190 jobs
to be created, but also because one of the critical factors involved in the decision to locate in Dorchester was the proximity to Clemson University’s
Wind Turbine Drive Train Testing facility being built in Charleston.
Add to that the fact that this is the largest
manufacturer to locate in Dorchester in nearly a decade, and that it represents
a solid foothold in the growing alternative energy sector,
and it becomes
obvious that this
project will enhance Dorchester County’s future."
"Dorchester County is excited to share in IMO’s success
as the first CiCi Award recipient for the County," said
Chairman Larry Hargett of Dorchester County Council. "This
award is evidence of IMO’s bright and successful future within Dorchester County."
In its sixth year, Trade & Industry Development magazine, through the CiCi Awards, provides an opportunity to showcase projects
nationally in an effort to recognize smart, site selection decisions. Companies receiving CiCi
Award recognition are based on the investment within the community, as well as
the role played by the economic developers in securing that investment.
About IMO International
In 1988, the
IMO Group was
founded in Gremsdorf, south of Germany. With more than 20 years experience,
IMO supports
the production of slewing rings and self-contained slew drives, in addition to providing solutions in the machine and plant manufacturing sector
to complete the range. IMO,
family-owned and managed by its proprietor, achieved "Bavaria’s
Top
50" award by the Ministry of Economy, and has
been recognized multiple
times as one of the 500 fastest growing companies in Europe ("Europe’s 500 – Champion of Growth").
Currently more than 1,000 employees work for
IMO, and in 2008, IMO achieved a turnover
of approximately 200 million Euro.