The South Carolina Department of Commerce is dedicated to supporting businesses at every phase of their lifecycle, because thriving companies build thriving communities. From site selection assistance to community development and infrastructure improvement grant offerings, to export and trade support, S.C. Commerce fosters success for both new and existing businesses, alike.

What is the first thing you say to someone who comes to you and says, “I want to expand to the US”?

First thing I would say is great! But let’s define what the US actually means for your company. America is not just one market; it is 50 states with different regions, costs, talent pools, customer bases, logistics networks, and business cultures.

So before talking about location, I ask: What do you need to succeed? Customers? Manufacturing? Distribution? Workforce? Speed to market? Proximity to partners? Once we understand that, we can find the right landing spot — whether that’s South Carolina or somewhere else. The goal is not just to arrive in America. The goal is to grow your company and succeed in America.

Do you see more companies from Central and Eastern Europe expanding to the US, and do you see the potential there?

I think we’re at the beginning of something here in CEE, not the middle of it. Right now, huge amounts of capital are flowing into CEE at a much faster pace than they’re flowing out. I’ve seen this same pattern before. A region stops being known for cheap production and starts building its own capacity, hosting real, integrated markets.

South Carolina went through that same transition forty years ago. Once a region reaches that point, its companies start thinking beyond their own borders. So yes, I absolutely see potential for CEE companies expanding to the US, and I look forward to any role South Carolina can play in helping to facilitate it.

South Carolina calls itself the new headquarters of American innovation. What makes it a smart landing spot for European companies?

The best evidence that we’re both an innovation hub and a smart place to land is our track record. BMW recently passed thirty years in South Carolina. Michelin runs its entire North American headquarters out of Greenville.

Over a thousand international firms looked at South Carolina, chose it, and then chose to stay. They stay for practical reasons such as dense supply chains, ports that connect them to every market, and support programs that make moving here easy. And if anyone needs one more reason, we’re happy to point them toward our beaches.

What is one thing not to miss while visiting South Carolina?

Find a diner that serves a meat-and-three. It’s the most honest meal in the state, if not the entire country. You choose one meat and three sides, all from whatever’s on the menu that day. The meat might be fried chicken or barbecue, and you’ll have a hard time narrowing your sides down to just three.