Mikro-Technik brings $3.2M investment to McCormick County

Mikro-Technik, a natural fiber manufacturer, selected McCormick County to establish its first North American operation. The company’s $3.2 million investment will create 27 new jobs, according to a news release from the state Department of Commerce.

Founded in Germany in 1954, Mikro-Technik specializes in processing cellulose fiber into additives for the food and pet food industries. The company’s fibers are a renewable raw material used as a functional ingredient in food applications, the news release said.

Mikro-Technik is leasing and upfitting a facility at 8463 Highway 28/221 in Plum Branch.

The new operation will expand the company’s production capacity for customers in the United States and Canada, the company said in the release.

“Establishing our first North American facility in McCormick County marks an exciting milestone for Mikro-Technik,” CEO K. Weingarten said in the release. “This investment allows us to better serve our customers across the American continent, while also contributing to the local economy. We are grateful for the support we’ve received at the state and local levels and look forward to growing our operations in South Carolina.”

Operations are expected to be online in the third quarter of 2025.

“On behalf of the county council and the citizens of McCormick County, we welcome Mikro-Technik to our community,” McCormick County Council Chairman Bernie Hamby said in the release. “We are pleased that Mikro-Technik has selected McCormick County as a place to locate its first operation outside of Germany. It is exciting to see this company lease and upfit the McCormick County speculative building to create jobs and provide an economic boost for McCormick County.”

The Commerce Department’s Coordinating Council for Economic Development awarded a $350,000 Rural Infrastructure Fund grant to McCormick County to assist with the costs of building improvements.

“Mikro-Technik’s decision to choose McCormick County for its first North American operation is a testament to the vision and leadership of the McCormick County Council,” Chairman Gary Stooksbury of the Western SC Economic Development Partnership, said in the release. “Their foresight in investing in a speculative building made this opportunity possible, and we’re proud to see that commitment paying off with high-quality jobs and international investment.”

Agriculture Secretary Hugh Weathers pointed out that Mikro-Technik will be a customer for the state’s forestry industry.

“Welcoming this innovative agri-tech company to South Carolina will benefit our state’s forestry sector by offering exciting new uses for forest products,” he said in the release. “I’m proud to welcome Mikro-Technik as the newest member of the state’s agribusiness community.”

Individuals interested in joining the Mikro-Technik team should visit the company’s careers page.

“Mikro-Technik’s $3.2 million investment and the 27 new jobs it brings will provide a major boost to the local economy,” Gov. Henry McMaster said in the release. “The people of McCormick County are hardworking and prepared for this opportunity, and I am confident Mikro-Technik will find a community that is fully committed to its success.”