On behalf of Richland County Council, I want to congratulate Trane on the opening of its new state-of-the-art facility in the Columbia, S.C., region. Trane’s commitment to Richland County represents one of the largest expansions of manufacturing jobs in our county’s history, and it makes an emphatic statement that Richland County is an excellent place for manufacturers to do business.
 
Trane’s expansion is a continuation of the tremendous success the county has enjoyed since forming our economic development office in 2012. County Council has seen repeatedly that when we invest in ourselves, great things happen.
 
I wish to thank my County Council colleagues — in particular Richland County Councilwoman Joyce Dickerson, in whose district the Trane facility is located, and County Councilman Chip Jackson, the chair of our economic development committee — for their continued support for creating quality job opportunities for our citizens.
 
We are working together to build a stronger tax base that supports government services and our top-notch school system. When Trane evaluated our community for this expansion, they saw that from our primary and secondary schools — to Midlands Tech and our higher education system — our community produces an abundance of smart, talented people.
 
Our community has an eager, qualified workforce and a remarkably high quality of life, and Trane is an excellent employer committed to providing a quality place to work.

Richland County Council Chair Paul Livingston