A Chinese fiberglass company has expanded its reach in South Carolina, signing — in a fast turnaround — the largest Class A industrial lease in the state's central market for 2024.
Jushi USA, a branch of China Jushi Co., signed a lease at the Pineview Trade Center in Columbia. Jushi USA specializes in the production and supply of fiberglass reinforcements and fabrics. The company serves industries such as marine, construction, infrastructure, transportation and alternative energy. It is occupying several smaller warehouse spaces throughout Richland County and plans to consolidate distribution operations into this location.
Columbia has 32,300 manufacturing employees, up nearly 13% from 2015, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Jushi was under a strict time constraint to find 200,000 square feet of space: It had product sitting at the Port of Charleston and needed a place to store it. The building's landlord, Summit Real Estate Group, and Colliers were able to execute the lease quickly, and Jushi occupied the space shortly after the lease was finalized. Summit provided Jushi with temporary restrooms, and the Colliers team worked to get the company a temporary certificate of occupancy so it could access the space at lease execution.
China Jushi Co. launched in 1999 and has distribution centers in Elkhart, Indiana, and Irwindale, California, in addition to Columbia.
About the deal: Jushi USA signed a 200,758-square-foot lease at Pineview Trade Center, located at 1669 Longwood Road in Columbia. The company occupies about 57% of the total square footage in the facility.
Pineview Trade Center is a four-star, approximately 351,000-square-foot speculative industrial building that was constructed in spring 2024.
What the judges said: "This lease represents the thriving industrial market here in Columbia and further solidifies [Southeast] Columbia as the next big industrial hub in the Midlands," said Robb McCarter, director of research for NAI Columbia.
They made it happen: Colliers' managing director, Chuck Salley, and vice presidents Thomas Beard and John Peebles represented Summit Real Estate Group. John Gregory of NAI Columbia oversaw the transaction for Jushi USA.