Millard Refrigerated Services announced plans to develop and operate a new cold storage distribution facility in Charleston County, S.C.

"The facility will give us access to the world-class port in Charleston and provide an efficient hub for our customers along the East Coast and throughout the Southeast," said Lance Larsen, president and CEO of Millard Refrigerated Services.


Millard Refrigerated Services will construct a cold storage facility in the Palmetto Commerce Park, located in North Charleston. The company will use the facility to freeze and store poultry, pork and beef products that will be exported to foreign markets.

Millard Refrigerated Services expects to begin work on the building in the spring of 2013, and start operations by 2014.

"Distribution and logistics companies are increasingly coming to understand that South Carolina is just right for their operations. Being centrally located between Miami and New York City, having solid infrastructure and one of the busiest ports on the East Coast makes the Palmetto State ideal for reaching customers and markets," said Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt.

Last year, South Carolina's exports jumped more than 21% to $24.6 billion in goods sold to 198 countries around the world.

Millard will begin hiring for the new positions in mid-2013.