Tag: AvCraft

PTR Industries – No More AvCraft’s

As PTR Industries struggles to become current with Horry County and other vendors, it is important Horry County Council remembers the lessons of AvCraft.

Having covered the AvCraft debacle from beginning to end, the issues with PTR Industries sound eerily familiar.

It will be one year ago next week that Gov. Nikki Haley and Rep. Tommy Rice visited PTR Industries to celebrate the one year anniversary of the announcement that the company planned to relocate to Horry County. Te dignitaries received special edition rifles to commemorate the occasion.

One week later, PTR Industries laid off workers.

In early July 2014, PTR Industries presented a check to Horry County during an executive session of Horry County Council that, reportedly, brought the company to within 45 days of being current on its rent at the county building it occupies at the Cool Springs Business Park.

One year later, it is being reported in local media that PTR Industries hasn’t paid rent to the county since March 23, 2015. In other words, we are back to at least 90 days in arrears.

Additionally, PTR Industries is in arrears to other vendors and, according to information from sources familiar with the company, is required to bring cashier’s checks, as often as weekly, to utility providers in order to keep the lights on.

Myrtle Beach International Airport

Horry County Airport Advisory Board Dissolution

The proposed dissolution of the Horry County Airport Advisory Board currently being considered by Horry County Council is a mistake.

This has not always been my attitude.

From the late 1990’s through approximately 2008, the board was a rubber stamp for some of the worst decisions made by Horry County Department of Airports staff.

A Lesson from the AvCraft Experience

The final curtain is coming down on AvCraft Technical Services in a couple of weeks leaving behind an important political lesson that will soon be forgotten.

That lesson? Never, never, never believe a politician’s (or their associates’) claims about economic development and/or job creation.

AvCraft was first introduced to Horry County in 2003 by, then, Horry County Council candidate Joe DeFeo.

AvCraft had just forfeited economic development incentive payments for failing to reach job creation promises at its location in Tyler, Texas and was looking for fresh government dollars. DeFeo was looking for an issue that could help him win election to Horry County Council District Three.

AvCraft Saga Nearing Final Chapter

The saga of AvCraft in Horry County appears to be nearing its conclusion as layoffs continue and no new rent or other concessions appear forthcoming from county government.

According to a former AvCraft employee whose job was eliminated among the recent redundancies at the company, employees received letters telling them their jobs were being eliminated and the company was closing.

According to the source, a small number of employees remain to complete maintenance work on two aircraft.

What Does AvCraft Sale Bring to Horry County?

The recent request by AvCraft Technical Services to Horry County Council for further considerations by the county to help facilitate the sale of AvCraft appears extremely flawed.

According to several industry and county sources, Sun Air Scandinavia is considering the purchase of AvCraft.

According to sources familiar with the AvCraft request, Horry County is being asked to spend a significant amount of money upgrading at least two of the three hangars AvCraft now occupies at Myrtle Beach International Airport.

AvCraft Sale Considered

Sun Air Scandinavia is considering purchasing AvCraft Technical Services in Myrtle Beach, according to an email received by GSD from an aircraft industry source.

Several Horry County sources confirmed Sun Air and AvCraft officials have met with Horry County Department of Airports staff to discuss the sale.

AvCraft has a long term lease with Horry County for three hangars at Myrtle Beach International Airport. Any sale of the company would require approval by Horry County Council for assumption of the current lease or negotiation of a new lease by the new owner.

A Christmas Gift for AvCraft?

It’s two weeks til Christmas and Horry County Council is in the gift giving mood to AvCraft again.

This is an act that plays in December almost as regularly as “A Christmas Story.”

And every time it plays it provides another lesson about everything that is wrong with the concept of giving incentives to companies in the name of economic development.

What it really boils down to is corporate welfare.

Curbing Economic Development Incentive Excesses

A bill prefiled with the S.C. Senate last week could go a long way toward limiting the excesses of economic development incentive agreements between government and private business.

S. 134, with senators Tom Davis and George Campsen as sponsors, would tighten down on not only what, but how governments can give away public money as an economic development incentive.

Most importantly, it would make the process transparent so the taxpayer could see in advance just how much public money is being thrown at a company to relocate, or expand its business.

Horry County Budget Workshop Next Week

Horry County Council will begin deliberations for its FY 2016 Horry County budget next Friday at a workshop and specially called council meeting.

Now that elections are over and several new council members are poised to join the governing body in the new year, we will see just how “conservative” our heavily Republican contingent on council really is.

My guess is the cronyism that has justified what I consider wasteful council spending in certain areas will continue to manifest itself.

New Incentives for AvCraft?

A recent local media report said Horry County officials are working with officials of AvCraft Technical Services to attempt to structure a new incentives deal for the company.

AvCraft admits it can’t meet the goal of 150 new jobs it agreed to approximately three years ago when it received its current economic development incentive package from Horry County.

And this is not the first time. AvCraft has failed to meet promises. It never produced the 400 jobs it promised when it received its first incentive package from the county in 2004. After new ownership bought the company out of bankruptcy in 2009, it did not produce 50 jobs promised.