ANDERSON, SC — Adeptus USA plans to open its first South Carolina plant in Anderson County, bringing 217 jobs to Honea Path and investing more than $215 million in a long-vacant manufacturing site.
The company will move into the former Belton Industries building and expects to begin operations in the second quarter of 2027, according to the S.C. Department of Commerce. The project gives the wood products maker a foothold in a state where timber remains a major economic driver, even as the industry has faced pressure in recent years.
What Adeptus will make in Honea Path
The new plant is expected to produce value-added and processed pine wood products for building products and millwork customers. Company and state officials said the operation will focus on painted and primed moulding, boards, shiplap and a range of panel products and grades.
That mix suggests a manufacturing site aimed at downstream wood products rather than raw timber processing. Adeptus says the plant will support a broad set of construction and finishing uses, which should connect it to builders, distributors and other customers across the region.
The Commerce Department said the project fits South Carolina’s established wood products sector. Anderson County officials also stand to benefit from the reuse of an industrial property that had been sitting abandoned.
Why Adeptus picked South Carolina
Chief Executive Officer Billy White said the company saw strong support from the state, Anderson County and the local forestry community. He said those commitments made it clear that South Carolina was the right place for the company to invest and grow.
White also said Adeptus is proud to join the state’s wood products industry and hopes to build lasting partnerships throughout the region. The company, founded in 1972, says on its website that it built its brand through long-term relationships with major timber producers in Brazil.
For South Carolina officials, the project offers another example of a company betting on the state’s forestry resources. State Forester Scott Phillips said the announcement shows that South Carolina forests remain open for business and capable of supplying sustainable, high-quality wood products.
Timber sector faces pressure even as new projects arrive
The Adeptus announcement lands at a moment when South Carolina’s $23 billion timber industry has been under strain. State leaders have been looking for ways to prevent a broader collapse in the sector, which has long been tied to jobs, land use and manufacturing across the state.
Phillips framed the new plant as a sign that the industry still has momentum despite those challenges. By pointing to the state’s home-grown forest resources, he said the company’s decision helps showcase the depth of South Carolina’s timber supply chain.
The project also highlights a broader pattern in industrial development: companies often seek sites with existing infrastructure rather than building from the ground up. In this case, that means reusing an abandoned building in Honea Path for a major new manufacturing operation.
State and county incentives support the project
The Coordinating Council for Economic Development approved job development credits tied to the project and awarded Anderson County an $850,000 closing fund grant for building improvements. Those incentives are designed to support the redevelopment effort and help make the site ready for the company’s investment.
The county grant is aimed at improving the old building before operations begin. State officials said the package reflects the level of public support often used to secure large industrial projects and bring manufacturing jobs to local communities.
For Anderson County, the project combines private capital, public incentives and a major industrial reuse effort. The result is expected to be a new employer in a building that had previously been left idle.
What job seekers should know now
Adeptus says people interested in working at the new plant should visit its hiring website. The company has not yet detailed all of the positions it plans to fill, but the announced head count totals 217 jobs.
The 2027 startup timeline means the hiring process may unfold over time as the company prepares the building and installs equipment. Until then, county and state officials are likely to keep focusing on the construction and redevelopment phase that comes before production begins.
Once operational, the plant will add another manufacturing site to Anderson County and expand Adeptus’ presence into South Carolina for the first time. For a community with an unused factory building, the project brings both a new employer and a new use for the property.