In early 2025 Engineered Foam Packaging or EFP announced a major expansion project in the Lee County seat of Bishopville, located along I-20 just east of the South Carolina state capital, Columbia.
The company, which designs and manufactures custom protective packaging and cold supply chain storage packing using specialty materials such as expanded polystyrene and polypropylene, is expanding its Lee County facility with a $31.5 million investment to enlarge its facility on Browntown Road by 200,000 square feet and boost production for its customers in the food distribution, pharmaceuticals and automotive industries.
The expansion and lease, coming so soon after the company first began operations in Bishopville in 2023, were selected to win a CoStar Impact Award for Lease of the Year in South Carolina's midlands, as determined by a panel of judges familiar with the market.
Governor Henry McMaster and Commerce Secretary Harry M. Lightsey III have both publicly supported EFP’s continued growth and investment in Lee County. County Council Chair Travis Windham also added, “It’s an exciting time in Lee County when a company decides to grow its business in your community, not once but twice."
Founded in 1954 after experiments using foam cushioning instead of cotton balls, Engineered Foam Packaging went on to develop moldable expanding polystyrene. A subsidiary of John B. Poindexter & Co., Inc. since 1985, EFP has fabrication and thermal packaging manufacturing operations in Indiana, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina and Arizona. With the additional square footage in Bishopville, EPF anticipates much more production capacity to serve its customers.
EFP first opened its 117,000-square-foot plant on Browntown Road in 2024 as its sixth location.
About the project:
The South Carolina Coordinating Council for Economic Development also awarded a Rural Infrastructure Fund grant of $750,000 to Lee County in support of infrastructure improvements and site preparation. By expanding in place, EFP shortens supply lines for protective packaging and cold chain products that must move quickly from production to distribution.
Located near the I-20 and Highway 15 N interchange, the building is owned by Weston, a Cleveland-based real estate investment firm that owns a sizable Southeast industrial property portfolio.
What supporters said: Governor Henry McMaster said of the project, “EFP, LLC.’s expansion announcement reinforces South Carolina’s commitment to supporting our existing companies. We celebrate the company’s contribution to the Lee County community and look forward to continuing our partnership with EFP, LLC. for many years to come.”
Meanwhile, Secretary of Commerce Harry M. Lightsey III said of EFP’s expansion, “We are excited to see EFP, LLC. again choosing to invest in one of our state’s rural communities. This $31.5 million investment demonstrates the company’s confidence in Lee County and South Carolina. We are proud to continue our support of EFP, LLC., as it furthers its legacy in our state.”
They made it happen: Charles "Chuck" Salley SIOR, managing director; and Vice Presidents Thomas Beard and John Peebles, all with Colliers, represented the landlord in the expansion.
CoStar Research Manager Brian Dehart contributed to this report.