A Canadian wood paneling company is set to bring more than 200 jobs and a more than $400 capital investment to two rural South Carolina counties with some of the highest unemployment rates in the state.

Gov. Mark Sanford and the S.C. Department of Commerce announced Tuesday that Grant Forest Products Inc., an industry leader in the manufacture of wood panel products, will build manufacturing plants in Allendale and Clarendon counties. The plants will be the company's first two manufacturing facilities in the U.S.

The announcement came following a meeting between Sanford and Grant Forest Products President Peter Grant Jr. and Peter Lynch, the company's executive vice president, at the Governor's Office.

Each plant will employ approximately 120. The company also announced that it will buy locally-grown timber for use at both facilities.

"Our goal from day one has been to make South Carolina more competitive in attracting jobs and capital investment. This announcement is clearly a big win on that front as it relates to our economic development efforts, our state's timber industry and South Carolina's economy as a whole," Sanford said.

The company president said the state's attractive resources made it a valuable spot in which to locate.

"South Carolina has a combination of resources that we could not find anywhere else. We were looking for a willing, trainable work force, a government that understands the needs — and the value — of business and a lot of timber. This state met and exceeded our expectations at every level," Grant said.

Allendale County is one of four members of the SouthernCarolina Regional Development Alliance, a non-profit economic development group which also serves Bamberg, Barnwell and Hampton counties.

"To have a world-class company like Grant decide to invest more than $200 million here and provide 120 high-paying jobs is the answer to a whole lot of prayers for our people," said Allendale County Councilman Carl Gooding, who is also the chairman of the SouthernCarolina Alliance board.

South Carolina currently has the nation's fourth-highest unemployment rate at 6.5 percent. Allendale County has a 10.1 percent unemployment rate, the sixth highest rate in the state. Clarendon County has a 8.7 percent unemployment rate, the 12th highest jobless rate in the state.

The company has elected to build its plant on a 480-acre site near the Allendale County town of Fairfax. It will begin construction later this summer on its oriented strand board manufacturing plant, with construction to be completed in 14 to 16 months.

The plant is expected to cost between $200 and $230 million. Average salaries at the plant have been projected to be approximately $35,000 to $40,000.

Work on the Clarendon site is scheduled to start six months after ground is broken in Allendale.

Allendale County Council Chairman James Pinkney said, "God is smiling on us today for sure. This is not only a great company, but their folks have been wonderful to work with. This is going to mean so much to Allendale County: new jobs, new revenues and nothing short of a sense of hope for all of our people."

SouthernCarolina Alliance President Danny Black said, "The alliance, in cooperation with partners like SCANA, the S.C. Department of Commerce, Allendale County and Gov. Sanford, has been working directly with Grant on a daily basis during the past few months to help make this happen. It once again proves rural regions like ours working together can successfully compete in this international and global economy."

Bobby Thomas, chairman of the Allendale County Economic Development Board, said Allendale County's selection as a plant site would not have been possible without the alliance's efforts.

S.C. Department of Commerce Secretary Bob Faith said, "We're thrilled with this win and the jobs that will be created in Allendale and Clarendon counties. Our forestry sector is an integral part of our state's economy, especially when it comes to bringing growth to our rural areas and making sure we're focused on raising income levels in every part of South Carolina."

Grant Forest Products is not just a North American leader in the manufacture of oriented strand board panels, an engineered wood product made from resins and multiple layers of wood strands. The company also produces OSB specialty products such as webstock, rim board and oversized panels.

OSB is used in construction as an economical alternative to plywood.

Headquartered in Toronto, the company's main administrative offices are located in Earlton, Ontario. The company has three manufacturing facilities in Canada and employs more than 700 people.

For more information, visit www.gfp-inc.com or forward inquiries to GrantAllendale@gfp-inc.com or GrantClarendon@gfp-inc.com.

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