Staff Report
Published Sept. 29, 2009

Softee Supreme Diaper Corp., headquartered in Decatur, Ga., has announced it will locate a manufacturing facility in Marion County. The company is expected to invest $6 million and create 262 new jobs over the next four years.

“Our company spent considerable time looking for a place for our operations, and Marion County seemed like the perfect fit for us,” said Collin Brown, president of Softee Supreme. “The business environment is excellent, and we will be able to tap into a strong, available labor force.”

Softee Supreme will expand and locate operations in a 294,000-square-foot building on U.S. Highway 76 in Mullins, where the company will manufacture its lines of private-label diapers.

The building sits on 49 acres and was formerly the home of Fabric Resources. The structure, which was built in 1968, includes a weave room, finishing plant, warehouse, warper room and warehouse, which was added on in 1996. It also has 10 docks and one drive-in door.

Softee Supreme expects to begin production in its new facility by the end of October.

These jobs will provide a shot in the arm for Marion County, which has the third-highest unemployment rate in the state at 20.9% and a population of about 35,000. Much of the county’s unemployment resulted from factory closures over the past decade, including the Russell Stover Candies closure that idled 800 workers.

“Softee Supreme will be employing 262 of our friends and neighbors over the next four years and locating into the former Fabric Resources building here in Mullins,” said state Sen. Kent Williams, D-Marion. “This is the result of much cooperation, teamwork and hard work with partners throughout the state and the federal congressional delegation, and we are very grateful of that. We look forward to working with Softee Supreme, and we appreciate them investing in Marion County.”

State Rep. Jim Battle Jr., D-Nichols, said, “Marion County has a wonderful work force that is eager to get back to work, and we appreciate Softee Supreme Diaper Corp. giving us that opportunity. I also would like to thank Gov. (Mark) Sanford, Congressman (Jim) Clyburn and everyone else that helped make this possible.”

The company is working with ReadySC on the screening and training process for new employees. Anyone interested in finding out more about possible employment with the company should contact the Marion County One-Stop, at 1305 N. Main St. in Marion.

Softee Supreme Diaper Corp., founded in 1999, and manufactures and markets disposable baby diapers. According to a news release, the company is a major supplier to grocery outlets, inner city markets and export markets throughout the Americas.

The S.C. Department of Commerce, Sanford and Clyburn joined in the announcement.