AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURER BREAKS GROUND IN PALMETTO STATE

The world’s largest aircraft manufacturer has officially landed in the Palmetto State.

Boeing broke ground on it’s much-anticipated 787 Dreamliner facility in North Charleston on Friday, a venture that will bring thousands of jobs and millions of dollars in investments to South Carolina.

Gov. Mark Sanford praised the event as a major financial boost to a struggling state.

“This groundbreaking sets into motion what we believe will be revolutionary and indeed generational changes to our state’s economy,” said Sanford. “Yet it’s also a challenge: a challenge to not rest on our laurels and instead redouble efforts to improve our state’s business climate; a challenge to use this momentum to push through tough economic headwinds; and a challenge to capitalize on this renewed cooperation between political leadership in Columbia and hard-working citizens across the state to make South Carolina a better place to live, work and raise a family.

Attorney General Henry McMaster said the event was made possible through team work and that it offers a great deal of hope for the state.

“Today’s Boeing groundbreaking is cause for celebration and a critical step toward putting South Carolina back on the Path to Prosperity,” McMaster said. “It’s a wonderful example of what we can accomplish when state leaders work together to recruit, nurture and support businesses both large and small. I’m certain that this is just the beginning of many great things to come for our blessed state.”

The Boeing groundbreaking came on the same day as news that the state’s unemployment rate had shot up to 12.1 percent.

Last month, lawmakers were able to woo Boeing away from its Washington State headquarters with economic incentives like low-interest construction bonds and a sales tax exemption on fuel used in test flights. The North Charleston location also offered the prospect of a nonunion work force, which came as a relief to the company after years of battling with labor unions at its other Dreamliner facility.

Photo: AP